A driver and passenger whose fleeing vehicle stopped just short of hitting the former Shari’s restaurant building on West Broadway Street in Idaho Falls on Tuesday afternoon face multiple charges.

The episode began around 2 p.m. when the Idaho Falls Police Department requested assistance from the Idaho State Police while attempting to serve a warrant at a rest area near milepost 101 on Interstate 15 north of Blackfoot.

According to Jessica Clements, Idaho Falls Police spokeswoman, investigators requested the assistance to serve a search warrant on John Geyer, 29, and his vehicle as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation. Geyer also had an active felony failure to appear warrant from Bingham County.

State police attempted to initiate a traffic stop at the rest stop north of Blackfoot, near mile marker 101 on I-15, but Geyer fled northbound on I-15, according to Idaho State Police. Troopers successfully deployed spike strips; however, the vehicle continued northbound on three flat tires.

Geyer ultimately left I-15 at the Broadway exit in Idaho Falls, Clements said. Geyer crossed Broadway by running a stoplight and crashed through a fence before his vehicle came to a stop in the former Shari’s parking lot, on the corner of Broadway and the I-15 on ramp.

Geyer and his passenger, Alyssa Massey, 27, both attempted to flee from the vehicle on foot but were quickly taken into custody. State police deployed a Taser to arrest Geyer.

Idaho Falls Police searched the vehicle and recovered two bags that were allegedly thrown from the vehicle during the pursuit, Clements said. Approximately 2,240 fentanyl pills, 36.95 grams of methamphetamine, 101.3 grams of fentanyl powder and drug paraphernalia were found in the vehicle and in the bags thrown from the vehicle.

Geyer was arrested for allegedly trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, destruction of evidence, felony eluding and on an active Bingham County warrant and booked into the Bingham County Jail.

Massey was arrested for allegedly trafficking fentanyl, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia and was booked into the Bonneville County Jail, Clements said. While being booked, Massey was found in possession of marijuana and was additionally booked for possession of a controlled substance and introducing contraband into a correctional facility.