IDAHO FALLS — Police arrested a local man last week for allegedly breaking the jaw of a pedestrian in a road rage incident.
Daniel Craig Powell, 41, faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, if convicted of the felony charge of aggravated battery he faces for an incident that began with the victim crossing the street, according to police and court records.
Police responded to the intersection of South Fifth West and Sunnyside Road after getting reports that someone had exited a vehicle and punched a man, according to court records.
The victim told police he was nearly struck by a vehicle while walking westbound in the southern crosswalk of that intersection. In response to that, the victim reported that he hit the passenger-side window of the vehicle after it had turned southbound from Sunnyside Road onto South 5th West.
According to the police affidavit, the driver quickly reversed back off South 5th West and parked on the sidewalk of Sunnyside Road. Powell then exited his vehicle and allegedly struck the victim one time.
Emergency Medical Services on scene confirmed the victim’s jaw was broken, according to police.
Another witness gave police the license plate number of the vehicle in question that traced back to Powell and led police to his residence, according to court records.
Powell’s wife met police and said her husband told her about the incident.
When Powell arrived back home he allegedly admitted to hitting the victim and was arrested, according to the police affidavit.
Powell has since been released on a $15,000 bond and is ordered to have no contact with the victim, according to court records.
A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday before Magistrate Judge Wiley R. Dennert at the Bonneville County Courthouse in Idaho Falls.