Man booked into jail for felony DUI on Valentine’s Day
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IDAHO FALLS — A man was arrested and charged with felony driving under the influence after an alleged Valentine’s Day crash.
Idaho Falls police reports show 47-year-old Joel Caratachea crashed into two parked vehicles with his pickup truck on the 1900 block of East 12th Street in Idaho Falls at around 8:15 p.m. Monday. Caratachea admitted to police he had been drinking a couple of hours earlier and lost control of his vehicle, according to court documents.
He told an Idaho Falls Police officer he had a six-pack or that he possibly drank seven alcoholic drinks, according to court documents. Caratachea told the officer he believed he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
When an officer asked Caratachea to walk and turn as part of a sobriety test, Caratachea said he could not do it because of an injury. He told officers he would cooperate but could not physically do the tests.
Caratachea blew a .157 and .177 during a breathalyzer test. The legal limit is 0.08. He was taken to the hospital to get checked out and booked into jail afterward.
According to court documents, Caratachea was also convicted of felony DUI in 2018. He also was charged with two DUI misdemeanors in 2014 and 2013. His license was already suspended when he was stopped by an officer on Monday.
Caratachea made his initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 1.
Although Caratachea was accused of a crime, it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.