Man arrested for DUI reportedly fractures officer’s hand while resisting arrest
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IDAHO FALLS — A 35-year-old Idaho Falls man was arrested Saturday after police say he injured two officers while being arrested for drunk driving.
Bradley Cory Willard was charged with felony DUI, two counts of felony assault or battery upon certain personnel, and misdemeanor resisting or obstructing officers.
According to court documents, an Idaho Falls Police officer pulled over a red 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck on Saturday around 1:46 a.m. near the West Broadway Street and North Utah Avenue intersection.
The officer reportedly saw the truck stop over the stop line at the Memorial Drive and West Broadway Street intersection before turning into the wrong lane on West Broadway Street.
The officer pulled the truck over in the parking lot of Cedric’s Restaurant at 1260 West Broadway Street.
According to the police report, the driver was identified as Willard, who reportedly smelled like alcohol and had “bloodshot, glassy eyes.”
Willard allegedly admitted to drinking alcohol and consented to a DUI test, which he failed.
Officers checked Willard’s criminal history, which showed it was his third DUI instance in the past ten years, making it a felony DUI stop.
According to police reports, Willard has previously been arrested and convicted of DUIs in Farmington, Utah, and Madison County.
Willard reportedly refused to take a breathalyzer test, and was handcuffed and told he was being arrested.
Court documents say Willard became “aggressive and resisted arrest” and was taken to the ground. Willard reportedly grabbed an officer’s left hand and twisted.
The officer writes in the report it “caused great pain, and I could immediately tell something was wrong.”
Officers were able to secure Willard’s arms, but he was again able to grab the officer’s left hand and twist, and did not let go until “verbally ordered” to.
During the altercation, Willard also reportedly injured a second officer’s right hand.
As officers were trying to get Willard in the police car, he also allegedly “head-butted” the first officer.
The first officer was later diagnosed at a local hospital with a fractured hand, and the second officer was diagnosed with a right-hand muscle sprain.
Willard was then booked into the Bonneville County Jail, and a blood draw search warrant was ordered. The results are not yet available.
Willard was booked on a bond of $60,000 and is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 30.
If convicted, he could face up to 21 years in prison.
Though Willard has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.