x
Breaking News
More () »

ACSO: Man fled from deputies, jumped into river near Boise State

The Boise man was taken to the hospital after deputies say he admitted to swallowing narcotics during the chase.

BOISE, Idaho — A Boise man was taken to the hospital after investigators say he swallowed drugs while leading Ada County deputies on a chase, then jumped into the Boise River to escape capture Thursday. 

The incident started after deputies tried to pull the suspect over on westbound Interstate 84 near the Eisenman Road exit east of Boise.

Deputy DJ Rupert said the deputy who stopped the man suspected he was "likely trafficking a large amount of narcotics."

But when the suspect was asked to get out of his pickup, he took off instead. Rupert said the pursuit was relatively low-speed at first.

"He obeyed all traffic laws, including stopping at all traffic lights," he said. 

But as deputies continued to follow the suspect, he became more aggressive, according to the sheriff's office, running red lights and driving over lawns. At one point, the suspect intentionally rammed his pickup into a car stopped at a red light on Parkcenter Boulevard, Rupert said, then kept going.

At least twice, deputies opted to call off the chases when they became too dangerous for the public.

Ultimately, the man ditched his pickup near Boise State University and leaped into the Boise River, where he was spotted by troopers and Boise Police officers a short time later.

"He didn't want to come out of the river," Rupert said. 

Officers ultimately fished the man out, and he was taken into custody. Officials say he admitted to paramedics that he had swallowed narcotics, and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The suspect, who has not yet been named, will likely face felony charges of aggravated assault, eluding arrest and possession of a controlled substance when he is released from the hospital. 

The sheriff's office says a K-9 dog alerted on the presence of drugs in his pickup; Deputies found a small amount of cocaine in plastic wrap on the floorboard and cocaine residue on paper towels strewn about the truck.

Before You Leave, Check This Out