Police Say: Driver On Meth Charged in Clayton Pfeiffer Death

A warrant for the arrest of a 36-year-old California man driving the car in the crash that killed Clayton Pfeiffer in Chesterfield on February 21, includes charges that methamphetamine was in his bloodstream, police said Thursday.

Dale Kawamura, an Oakland CA resident, is believed to be in California, according to Chesterfield's Police Chief Ray Johnson. See photo.

"Kawamura is not in custody at this time...St. Louis County Police Fugitive Section will be responsible for his apprehension and arrest," Johnson said in a press statement Thursday morning.

He is charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and second-degree assault, DWI. The assualt charge stems from the injuries of Kawamura passenger.

Both charges are felonies. The DWI is an enhanced charge, and would represent the meth claim.

"It was determined through laboratory tests on Kawamura’s blood that the controlled substance methamphetamine was present at the time of the crash," Johnson said.

Meth and its manufacture is illegal and considered highly addictive, and its byproducts are seriously toxic.

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The victim, Pfeiffer, 18, was a freshman at Missouri Baptish University and graduated that year from St. John Vianney in Kirkwood. 

Pfeiffer was driving west on Olive Boulevard near Creve Coeur Road when Kawamura's SUV crossed over from the eastbound lane of Olive into oncoming traffic, clipping a truck and smashing head-on into Pfeiffer's car.

The driver of the pickup truck was not injured.  Hammer had a broken arm.