At approximately 2:20 a.m. this morning, an Idaho Falls Police Officer performed a traffic stop near the intersection of South Holmes Avenue and 4th Street. As the officer began to exit their police vehicle, which had emergency police lights activated at the time, the officer checked their rearview mirror and saw another car rapidly approaching. The vehicle, a red sedan, was on a trajectory to collide with the police vehicle where the officer was exiting the car.
The officer quickly pulled their door closed, shutting themselves in the vehicle, and observed the sedan nearly strike the police vehicle before continuing on the roadway. The officer left the traffic stop to follow and attempt to stop the sedan with their police lights activated.
The vehicle fled from the Officer turning left on to John Adams, running a red light and traveling at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. The driver turned onto a residential street. The Officer lost sight of them and discontinued the pursuit.
Shortly thereafter, Officers in the area located the vehicle on the 1300 block of 1st Street where it had crashed into a residence. The vehicle came to rest inside the residence, a short distance from occupants of the home. Fortunately no one inside the residence was injured, however the damage to the residence is extreme.
Idaho Falls Police Officers and Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies in the area located two people running from the scene of the collision. Both were taken into custody.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Jonathan Perez. Jonathan admitted to driving the vehicle at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour, and to being under the influence of alcohol while driving.
Jonathan Perez, a 21-year-old male, was arrested for Felony Eluding, Misdemeanor Leaving the Scene of an Accident, and Driving Under the Influence. The passenger, 22-year-old Andres Montoya, was arrested on a Bingham County Misdemeanor Warrant and Resisting & Obstructing. Both were booked into the Bonneville County Jail.
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