Deputy and wife die as driver fleeing drug house crashes head-on, MO cops say

A man has been charged with murder two days after an off-duty deputy and his wife were killed in a head-on crash, Missouri authorities say.

The 4-month-old grandchild of Deputy Sheriff Mike Adams and his wife, Ashley Adams, was the only occupant inside their minivan to survive the June 30 crash in Highlandville, according to the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities said 40-year-old Garrett Grimm Cleaver was seen driving away from a known drug house, and a deputy tried pulling him over because his headlights were not working.

Cleaver fled from the deputy, who lost sight of the driver’s Ford F-150, according to a probable cause statement.

The deputy then came upon the scene of a devastating crash, as the F-150 had crashed into a Honda minivan, authorities said.

A witness to the 9 p.m. crash provided video that showed the F-150 going airborne, court records show. After it landed, the truck left the roadway, fishtailed and struck the minivan head-on.

Ashley Adams and Mike Adams, a 52-year-old deputy with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Deputies said their grandchild was hospitalized “in stable but serious condition” with head injuries.

Cleaver was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated fleeing a stop resulting in death, one count of aggravated fleeing a stop resulting in physical injury and one count of second-degree assault, according to a July 2 news release.

According to the court documents, Cleaver has an “extensive criminal history,” including a conviction for vehicular homicide.

An Air Force veteran, Mike Adams joined the Christian County Sheriff’s Office in 2022, the agency said. Previously, he worked for the Scott County Sheriff’s Office and Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office.

“Mike was one of those guys that no matter what the situation was, or he was asked to do, you could count on him,” Sheriff Brad Cole said in a statement. “The loss of Deputy Adams and his wife is a profound tragedy for our agency and the entire community. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.”

Highlandville is about a 190-mile drive southeast from Kansas City.

This story was originally published July 2, 2025 at 12:24 PM with the headline "Deputy and wife die as driver fleeing drug house crashes head-on, MO cops say."