Convict given rider for 2023 high speed chase and drug charges; now he’s done it again, police say
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BLACKFOOT — A man who was released from prison after serving a one-year retained jurisdiction or rider program is now back in jail for allegedly doing exactly the same things — initiating a high speed chase while drug trafficking.
The most recent chase, which started on Interstate 15, resulted in the man, John Charles Geyer, crashing in front of the former Shari’s restaurant, before leading police on a brief foot chase.
The 28-year-old is now facing three felony charges that include trafficking fentanyl, trafficking methamphetamine and eluding a police officer. If he is found guilty, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison. A persistent violator enhancement was also included, which adds a possible five years to his possible sentence.
Incidentally, his license was already suspended following the chase in 2023.
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What happened this time
The most recent chase began at a rest stop at mile marker 101 in Bingham County when a white 2024 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, driven by Geyer, fled from an Idaho State Police detective heading north toward Idaho Falls.
The vehicle had three tires punctured by a spike strips, but troopers reported that the vehicle continued to speed at 100 mph down the highway.
While nearing milemarker 108, a trooper observed that a black bag had been tossed out of the vehicle, and a moment later, two more bags were tossed out from the driver’s side window.
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Upon entering Bonneville County, a trooper performed a PIT maneuver on Geyer’s vehicle as it was on the off-ramp of I-15 near Sunnyside Road. The PIT was not successful, and caused Geyer to go off the roadway, but he made it back onto I-15.
While back at the interstate, Geyer’s speed was reported to reach 90 mph.
Geyer, while driving on three rims, took the Broadway Street exit in Idaho Falls from I-15. He ran through an intersection, and managed to avoid hitting a tow truck.
The document states that, due to the speed Geyer was driving, he drove off the roadway, crashed through a plastic fence, and came to a stop in front of the former Shari’s restaurant.
Upon crashing, Geyer began to flee from the Jeep and ran behind the restaurant. A taser was used unsuccessful.
Eventually, Geyer was taken into custody after a short foot chase.
A detective with the Idaho Falls Police Department retrieved the bags that were tossed out of the Jeep on I-15.
Looking through the bags, four vacuum-sealed bags were found containing 219.50 grams of small, round, blue pills marked M-30. In total, 2,195 pills were recovered and tested positive for fentanyl.
A smaller plastic baggie was found with crystal-like substance inside. The total weight of the contents was 29.4 grams and tested positive for methamphetamines.
A golf-ball-sized bag was tested and returned positive for fentanyl and weighed 29.7 grams.
Geyer is currently in the Bingham County Jail in Blackfoot.
Not the first time
This is not the first time Geyer has been arrested on drug charges after a high speed chase. In November 2023, police say Geyer led authorities on a high-speed chase before crashing into a Bannock County Sheriff’s patrol vehicle.
In 2024, he was sentenced to a one-year retained jurisdiction or rider, and released on probation in 2025.
Retained jurisdiction, often referred to as a rider, is a type of sentence where a person is given a six-month to one-year prison term and placed in an intensive counseling and educational program. Once the person completes the rider, the court determines whether to place them on probation or sentence them to prison to fulfill their original sentence.
Had the judge not chosen probation, his full sentence for the 2023 crime, would have been four years fixed, with one year indeterminate.
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For his latest crime, Geyer has a preliminary hearing scheduled before Magistrate Judge James Howard Barrett Jr. at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 19.