Police say drunk man arrested in Bonneville County after running from fiery crash
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The following is a news release from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.
IDAHO FALLS – Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies and Idaho Falls Fire responded to a vehicle accident last Friday evening (July 1st) just before 7 p.m. on North 5th West near 97th North.
It was reported the vehicle involved was on fire and the driver, an adult man, ran from the scene. When emergency personnel arrived, the vehicle was fully engulfed and hanging over the guardrail of a canal bridge. Fire personnel quickly put the fire out and bystanders pointed deputies to the direction where the driver had run away.
Deputies located the man, later identified as Christopher T. Reynolds, about three-fourths of a mile away trying to hide in the grass on the canal bank and took him into custody. When asked, Reynolds told deputies he had been drinking alcohol. Through a check of Mr. Reynold’s criminal history, deputies discovered at least two previous convictions for driving under the influence in California.
Mr. Reynolds was transported by deputies to Idaho Falls Community Hospital to be checked for injuries and to obtain a blood sample to determine his level of intoxication.
While at the hospital, Reynolds was uncooperative and tried to push past deputies and staff until he had to be restrained outside of the emergency room in a patrol car.
After Reynolds was cleared by medical staff, deputies took him to the Bonneville County Jail, but only made it a short distance from the hospital before he began hitting his head on the window and insides of the patrol car. An ambulance was called to help with transport so Reynolds could safely be secured to a gurney, during which time he continued to resist and made physical threats of harm toward the deputies.
Upon arriving at the jail, Mr. Reynolds was booked for felony driving under the influence and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and leaving the scene of an accident.