Police say local man ‘wrapped his truck around a tree’ while driving under the influence
Published at | Updated at
BONNEVILLE COUNTY — A local man has been charged with DUI after he allegedly “wrapped his truck around a tree,” according to court documents.
Michael Joseph Swanson, 44, has been charged with one count of driving under the influence and one count of resisting or obstructing officers. If found guilty, Swanson could serve up to 11 years in prison and pay a fine of up to $6,000. As this DUI is Swanson’s third, the charge is more severe.
Court Documents state deputies were dispatched to the area of Burns Creek Road and East Heise Road on June 30 for a crash. Dispatch reported an individual had “wrapped his truck around a tree.”
Deputies arrived on scene and found a white pickup truck with extensive front end damage and were able to speak with the reporting party that had called in the incident. The reporting party claimed to have seen Swanson drinking “Twisted Teas” before getting in the white truck and driving away from the campground where they had been staying.
Court records say Swanson asked the reporting party to help hide him. At the time of the deputies’ arrival, Swanson was allegedly in a camp chair down in the trees. When deputies called out, they received no response.
Deputies walked the area around the camp chair and found a man lying on the ground nearby. The man identified himself as “Jo.” His words were slurred and he reeked of alcohol, according to court documents.
Swanson allegedly told deputies that his friend had been driving the truck, not him.
He wouldn’t consent to a field sobriety test so deputies took him to Idaho Falls Community Hospital, where they were granted a blood draw warrant.
Swanson was arrested and booked into the Bonneville County Jail.
His preliminary hearing is set for July 15 with Magistrate Judge Wiley R. Dennert.
Though Swanson has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.