Man accused of driving drunk through fence and running from crash with child faces felony charges
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RIGBY – A man appeared in court after allegedly driving drunk, running into a fence, then running away with a child.
Judd Fisher, 43, appeared in front of District Judge Stevan Thompson on Monday after his case was moved to district court.
Fisher pleaded not guilty to felony leaving the scene of an accident resulting in an injury or death, felony injury to a child and misdemeanor DUI.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an accident near 4320 East 500 North in Rigby on Oct. 18. Deputies were told a car went through a fence, and there were possible neck and back injuries.
Dispatch alerted the deputies that a man wearing pink shorts was seen running east from the crash with a child who was dressed in blue. One of the deputies in the area began looking for the pair.
When deputies arrived at the crash, they saw a GMC and horse trailer that had run off the road, through a fence and was high-centered on a ditch bank. The GMC had “extensive front-end damage,” according to the police report.
The second truck, a Ford F250, was farther east, on the other side of the road. The driver was still inside and was checked for neck and back injuries. He was later transported to the hospital, but it is unclear what his injuries were.
Deputies searched the abandoned GMC and found “several open containers of alcohol,” including a can of Twisted Tea, and multiple Coors Light bottles behind the passenger sear and on the driver’s side floorboard, according to court documents.
Also in the car was a backpack with documents belonging to Judd Fisher. After searching the name, Fisher came back as the registered owner of the GMC.
Deputies also found a handgun, a 9mm Sig Sauer P365, as well as a small backpack with children’s toys. Deputies did not find a child restraint seat.
The deputy who had been looking for Fisher and the child soon found them and took Fisher into custody. The child was picked up by a relative.
When speaking to deputies, a “strong odor of an alcoholic beverage” was emitting from Fisher, according to the police report. Deputies also say he has “slurred speech, glassy eyes and was swaying while seated.”
When asked why he left the scene of the accident, deputies say Fisher “didn’t answer coherently.” When asked if he checked on the driver of the other vehicle, Fisher responded no. Deputies then asked if he remembered the accident, to which Fisher responded, “Everything just shut down.”
Deputies again asked Fisher why he ran, to which he allegedly responded, “I need to take responsibility for what I did.”
When they asked him again, Fisher said, “You know why,” according to the police report.
Fisher was then driven to the hospital for a jail clearance. Fisher received stitches at the hospital for cuts on his arm from the barbed wire fencing that the GMC crashed into.
He was then taken to the Jefferson County Jail, where his bail was later set to $20,000.
Fisher posted bail and was sent to pretrial supervision on Oct. 19.
Though Fisher has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
A jury trial is scheduled for March 23. If convicted, Fisher could face up to 15 and a half months in prison.