Police say woman held onto pickup for miles after allegedly drunk driver didn’t stop vehicle
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IDAHO FALLS — Police say a woman grabbed onto a pickup truck’s tailgate to avoid being run over before hanging on for at least five miles while a suspect continued to drive.
The incident unfolded Tuesday shortly after 1 a.m. after a woman said Cody Rankin punched her in the face multiple times before trying to back over her in a pickup, according to an affidavit of probable cause. As Rankin allegedly backed up the truck, the woman said she grabbed onto the tailgate and hung over the side.
The woman was able to call Idaho Falls Police and tell them Rankin was driving with her in the back of the pickup, police spokeswoman Jessica Clements said. Rankin briefly stopped and the woman was able to get off before Rankin drove away again.
Police found and pulled over Rankin, and upon investigation, suspected he had been drinking, according to court documents.
Investigators spoke with the woman who said Rankin drove her from Garden Street to the intersection of Bellin Road and West Broadway, a distance of at least five miles. The entire time the woman hung on the outside of the pickup while holding onto the tailgate.
The woman reportedly had bleeding injuries on her face when officers got to her. Rankin also had injuries to one of his hands and blood on his pants.
While attempting to perform a DUI test on Rankin, they discovered he had a suspended driver’s license and a no-contact order prohibiting him from contacting the woman. Rankin refused to take a breathalyzer test and was taken to the hospital for a blood draw to check his blood alcohol content.
Rankin also had two warrants for his arrest and so he was booked into the Bonneville County Jail. Rankin was charged with felony aggravated assault, felony DUI, misdemeanor battery, misdemeanor violation of a no-contact order and misdemeanor driving without privileges.
Court records show Rankin already faces a felony DUI charge from April 2021. He pleaded not guilty to that charge.
A preliminary hearing for Rankin is scheduled for Feb. 16.
Although Rankin is accused of crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.