Update: IFPD arrest and charge man for crashing car on dealership lot

The start of the workday was a bit more interesting for staff at Teton Toyota in Idaho Falls. Jermey B. Blake, 37, of Shelley, crashed his car into a brand new parked car on the dealer’s lot and ending up in the canal.

Blake was arrested by Idaho Falls Police Department and faces multiple charges including: reckless-driving, operating a vehicle without insurance, open container, driving without privileges, leaving the scene of an accident, obstructing an officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, and providing false information to police.

Witnesses say the crash was incredibly loud. IFPD estimates that Blake was driving between 50-60 mph when he crashed into the parked 2016 Toyota Corolla.

“I was out back on the side of the dealership when we heard the car crash,” said Brian Mclean, a sales representative for Teton Toyota. “We ran up to the canal and saw the two cars in the water.”

Witnesses say Blake got out of his car, swam towards the edge of the canal and didn’t seem to know what had just happened.

“He seemed very disoriented. He didn’t really know where he was at. He didn’t know what had actually happened,” said Mclean. “He didn’t really seemed to be injured by it, that is until we got him out on the other side of the canal, and he started complaining about a little bit of chest pain.”

At that point witnesses say Blake started walking away from the accident and tried using his phone. Bystanders who called 911 had to keep Blake on site for paramedics to arrive.

Blake was taken to EIRMC by ambulance to get checked over. Once the hospital looked him over, he was promptly taken into custody by police.

“I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before or seen it happening before,” said Mclean. “It was just kind of a weird incident for everybody around here this morning.”