Twice in less than twelve hours, Garden City Police handled two similar cases where people were found passed out in vehicles from allegedly using illegal drugs.
About 4:15 p.m. Monday, officers were dispatched on a call of a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot in the 8100 block pf Chinden Boulevard.
When officers arrived, they discovered a Jeep Cherokee with the engine running. It appeared the male driver and the female passenger inside were both passed out.
Officers positioned their patrol cars both in front of and behind the Jeep to prevent it from moving.
They were then able to awake the occupants, according to a Garden City Police press release.
One officer opened the driver’s side door and eventually awakened the driver, later identified as Alexander Flink, 25, of Garden City.
The release says Flink put the vehicle in reverse and crashed into the police cruiser parked behind him.
In the process, one officer was struck by the Jeep’s front passenger’s door.
After the collision, both Flink and the female passenger – identified as Christina Bergstrom, 27, of Nampa, were taken into custody.
The officer who was struck by the door did not suffer serious injuries, the release said.
Flink was booked into the Ada County Jail on a slew of charges including felony aggravated assault on a police officer, felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of narcotics, DUI, and resisting arrest.
Bergstrom was charged with two counts of felony possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest.
“This was an extremely dangerous situation that could have easily resulted in citizens, officers, or suspects being seriously injured,” said Garden City Police Chief Rick Allen. “We have reason to believe both Flink and Bergstrom were under the influence of (opioids), which is likely why they were passed out while the engine was running and the car was in gear. This is yet another example of the serious impact opiates are having on our community.”
Then, about 3 a.m. Tuesday, police found another suspicious vehicle in another parking lot -– this one, in the 5900 Block of Glenwood Street -- also with its engine running.
The driver was slumped over and unconscious.
Police say they found 64 grams of heroin, plus cocaine, meth and oxycodone pills in man’s possession.
Patrick Smith is now in jail on charges of felony drug trafficking and felony drug possession.
Police don’t believe the two cases are related.
