A St. Louis man has been charged with driving while intoxicated and causing a fatal crash that claimed the life of a police officer over the weekend.
Officer David Lee, a 44-year-old veteran of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, was killed Sunday morning while responding to a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 70. According to police, Lee was struck by a 2019 Kia Sorrento driven by Ramon A. Chavez-Rodriguez, 24, who was allegedly driving at least 71 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone.
Chavez-Rodriguez, who was taken into custody at the scene, showed signs of impairment and had a blood alcohol content of.10 approximately two hours after the crash. He has been charged with DWI—death of law enforcement or emergency personnel, exceeding posted speed limit, and operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license.
According to court documents, Chavez-Rodriguez has a St. Peters address and “does not have legal status in the United States.” He was also driving without a valid license and had previously been convicted of second-degree domestic assault in St. Charles County in 2020.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore noted that while Chavez-Rodriguez’s immigration status does not affect the criminal charges, it could impact his eligibility for bond. Chavez-Rodriguez remains jailed without bond.
The incident has sparked an investigation into Chavez-Rodriguez’s immigration status, with federal authorities notified of his arrest. However, St. Charles County Prosecutor Joe McCulloch revealed that Homeland Security has declined to issue a detainer, citing Chavez-Rodriguez’s prior presence in the system.
Officer Lee, a four-year veteran of the Traffic Division, is survived by his wife and children. St. Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy described Lee as the 167th police officer to die in the line of duty and vowed to hold Chavez-Rodriguez accountable. “We want to make sure he’s brought to justice,” Tracy said.
