Blue Springs Man Charged in Fatal Car Accident

Man charged in fatal accident

A Blue Springs man was charged with involuntary manslaughter and resisting arrest Monday after a car crash Sunday night in Blue Springs killed a passenger in his vehicle.

Michael L. Garzee, 29, was driving when he crashed into a utility pole during a police pursuit.

Dustin A. Wardlow, 29, of Overland Park, was pronounced dead at the scene. Three and a half hours later, police said, Garzee’s blood-alcohol content was .122 percent, well over the legal limit of .08 percent.

The incident was reported about 10 p.m. Officers from the Lake Tapawingo Police Department tried to pull over a black, 2000 Mercury Sable for careless driving east on U.S. 40. The officers initiated a vehicle pursuit when the driver refused to pull over.

The pursuit continued into Blue Springs. A short time later, the driver of the Sable lost control and drove off the right side of the road at Southwest U.S. 40 and Southwest 19th Street, striking a utility pole. The driver got out of the vehicle and ran but was arrested moments later.