A 22-year-old Hailey man faces a felony marijuana and several misdemeanor charges after he allegedly drove into two parked cars in Ketchum, led Hailey police on a high-speed chase and was found to possess illegal drugs when his vehicle was searched.
Joseph L. Bohl was arraigned Monday in Blaine County Magistrate Court on a felony charge of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and misdemeanor charges of driving while under the influence and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bohl has also been cited by Ketchum police for alleged inattentive driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
Bohl was released from the Blaine County Jail later Monday after posting $5,000 bond.
Ketchum Police Department spokeswoman Kim Rogers said the episode started at about 3:50 p.m. on Sunday when Bohl allegedly drove a blue Ford Bronco into two parked cars on Leadville Avenue east of its intersection with Fifth Street. Witnesses called police, who broadcast a description of the vehicle.
At 4:23 p.m. Hailey patrolman Garth Davis spotted the Bronco on west Bullion Street in Hailey. Davis flipped on his police lights and the Bronco took off west on Bullion and up Croy Creek Road at a speed that allegedly reached 58 miles per hour, police said.
Davis called for backup and followed the Bronco, which stopped about a mile up Croy Creek. Davis reported that Bohl smelled of alcohol and the officer placed him under arrest.
Hailey Police Chief Jeff Gunter said Monday that police searched the Bronco and found 3.3 ounces of a "leafy green substance" later identified as marijuana. The stash consisted of 11 zip-lock bags inside a larger bag, Gunter said.
Joseph L. Bohl
