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Burris Charged In OWI Causing Death

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A Warsaw man turned himself in to police Thursday and was arrested for driving while intoxicated, causing death.

Brian Edward Burris, 28, of 107 W. Tyner Drive, is being held in Kosciusko County Jail on $1,250 bond.

Burris was involved in a two-car accident Feb. 9 that killed Michelle A. Eccles, 36, of West CR 250S, Warsaw.

According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, Eccles was driving eastbound on CR 250S at 5:34 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2,000 feet west of Ferguson Road. Burris' westbound vehicle allegedly crossed the center line and struck Eccles' vehicle head-on.

Eccles was pronounced dead at Kosciusko Community Hospital after being pinned in the wreckage of her car. She was not breathing when emergency personnel arrived and was unconscious with internal injuries.

Burris suffered internal injuries and was airlifted from KCH to Parkview Memorial Hospital, Fort Wayne. He was also pinned in his car and unconscious after the accident.

Police reports at the time of the accident said Burris had a blood-alcohol content of .18 percent. A driver is considered legally drunk if he has a blood-alcohol level of .10 percent or greater.

A passenger in Eccles' car, her 31-year-old husband Chris Eccles, was treated at KCH for facial injuries and released.

Police said neither driver was wearing a seat belt and there were no skid marks from either of the cars prior to impact.