BOISE, Idaho — Idaho State Police now say the incident involving a pickup truck in downtown Boise that drew a large police presence during rush hour Thursday evening is being investigated as a medical emergency rather than impaired driving.
As we reported on Thursday, traffic was shut down around Myrtle and 11th St. in downtown Boise through the evening commute, causing major traffic backups.
Several people nearby shared pictures and videos online showing Boise Police officers surrounding a blue pickup truck that crashed into a median.
An ISP news release says Boise Police deployed a drone to monitor the situation and eventually used pepper ball rounds in an attempt to get the driver out. Police eventually pulled the driver from the truck and took him into custody.
After a night at the hospital, police now say the driver is cooperating with the investigation, and medical staff believe he suffered a medical emergency.
“Some medical emergencies can appear nearly identical to impaired driving. Law enforcement must approach every situation with caution to protect both the public and themselves,” said Lieutenant Brandalyn Crapo of the Idaho State Police. “However, not all the factors of this investigation have been vetted, and troopers will continue to investigate.”
Police are still investigating, but no charges have been filed at this time.
