Police say man who ran from crash hitchhiked and checked himself into hospital
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IDAHO FALLS — Police say a man who fled from a rollover crash scene near Roberts Tuesday later checked himself into an Idaho Falls hospital.
The crash happened around 3 p.m. on Interstate 15 when a car rolled after driving off into the median. It’s not clear what caused the crash, but there were two people inside, and they both sustained injuries.
Idaho State Police say 29-year-old Justin Ruckdaschel of Elko, Nevada was a passenger in the vehicle, and following the crash he ran away. Initially troopers couldn’t locate him.
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The driver of the car, 50-year-old David Ruckdaschel, from Butte, Montana, was found at the scene by emergency responders. He was taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center by ambulance.
ISP Lt. Chris Weadick said troopers with K9 dogs and a helicopter overhead were unable to locate Justin Ruckdaschel in the thick brush and trees along the interstate, but they did search extensively.
Eventually, they discovered Justin Ruckdaschel had hitchhiked into Idaho Falls and checked himself into EIRMC.
Witnesses at the scene say they saw Justin Ruckdaschel pick up a bag as he ran from the crash. It is unknown what was inside the bag or if law enforcement located it. It’s also not clear why he ran from the scene.
EIRMC officials say both David and Justin Ruckdaschel are in fair condition as of Thursday morning.
Weadick said charges are pending, but the nature of those charges have not been released.