Owensville man charged with two felonies following pursuit on I-44

Dave Marner, Managing Editor
Posted 5/15/19

Bond for an Owensville man charged with two felonies and seven misdemeanors following an early-morning May 9 pursuit in Crawford County was set at $100,000.

David J. Burch, 23, was taken into …

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Owensville man charged with two felonies following pursuit on I-44

Posted

Bond for an Owensville man charged with two felonies and seven misdemeanors following an early-morning May 9 pursuit in Crawford County was set at $100,000.

David J. Burch, 23, was taken into custody by Troop I of the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 1 a.m. May 9 near Bourbon on allegations of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and felony resisting arrest by fleeing, causing substantial risk of injury. He was apprehended after leading Trooper J.L. Dunmire on a 9-mile chase reaching speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. Burch was captured after he exited I-44 at the eastbound 218 mile marker and crashed into, and went under a guard rail at the top of the off-ramp. 

The Mustang Burch was driving careened down an embankment and came to a stop. Dunmire ran down the embankment and ordered Burch out of the car. He complied and was arrested without further incident, according to Dunmire’s report seeking criminal charges.

Burch was transported by ambulance to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan for treatment of minor injuries. He was placed under arrest and admitted to snorting an amphetamine about 45 minutes to an hour before the pursuit began.

According to Dunmire’s probable cause statement filed in the application for a warrant, Burch was travelling south on Highway 19 near Cuba when the patrolman first spotted his blue Mustang. Dunmire reported he recognized the car as a “suspect vehicle in thefts of storage sheds in Franklin County” so he turned around in an attempt to overtake and stop Burch.

Burch fled eastbound on I-44 and at the mile 210 exit got off the  interstate, crossed over the crossroad without stopping and returned to the highway using the on-ramp. 

Burch was allegedly in possession of a substance which field tested positive for amphetamine and related paraphernalia including a syringe. He eventually consented to allowing a blood sample to be drawn, according to the PC statement filed by Dunmire.

He also faces misdemeanor charges alleging unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia as a prior drug offender, driving while intoxicated on drugs, careless and imprudent driving causing a crash, not having insurance, following another vehicle too close, and not wearing a seat belt.

He was taken into custody initially on a 24-hour hold pending the filing of formal charges. Those were filed May 10 and the case was assigned to Judge Patrick J. Horsefield. Burch had a hearing Monday through video conference and was advised of the charges against him. The court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and Burch is scheduled for a court appearance at 9 a.m. Thursday (May 16) in Steelville.

The felony charges against him include a class D count of possession of a controlled substance and a class E count of resisting arrest by fleeing.