The payday loan store employee told police a man, later identified as Sanchez, stumbled into the business smelling like alcohol and attempted to receive a payday loan, police said. When he was denied a loan, Sanchez became combative but eventually left the business, entered a black GMC Terrain and left the area heading west on West Cedar Street, according to police

Officers located the vehicle while it was heading south on Pole Line Road, observing the vehicle traveling between 48 and 52 mph on a street marked for 35 mph speeds and crossing the center yellow line, police said.

Police initiated a traffic stop and Sanchez stopped the vehicle on the 4100 block of Yellowstone Avenue. Sanchez opened the driver’s side door and explained the window did not work, said police, adding that when officers approached the car they detected the odor of alcoholic beverages.

When officers asked Sanchez to provide insurance information, he took out his cell phone and opened his text messaging application, police said. Sanchez was asked to complete a field sobriety test and only finished one of three portions of the test before refusing to cooperate, police said.

Sanchez was detained and transported to the Pocatello Police Department where he refused to complete a breathalyzer test to determine his blood alcohol content level, said police, adding that a warrant was obtained to draw Sanchez’s blood.

Police learned Sanchez had previously been convicted of felony DUI in December 2008 and was subsequently charged with felony DUI and misdemeanor resisting and obstructing, arrested and transported to the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.

Sanchez appeared in front of 6th District Judge David Hooste for an arraignment hearing Wednesday, during which his bond was set at $25,000.

Prosecutors will attempt to prove there is enough evidence against him to elevate the case from the magistrate to district court for trial during a preliminary hearing set for Aug. 30.

If convicted of the felony DUI charge, Sanchez faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

Joseph Chase Wharton, 23, of Pocatello, has been charged with felony aggravated DUI following an incident on Wednesday, court records show.

The incident began to unfold around 2:15 a.m. when Pocatello police received the report of a single-vehicle crash on the 1600 block of Yellowstone Avenue.

Upon arrival, police observed a green Nissan with severe damage to the passenger side parked in the grass in front of a local business.

Police observed a man slumped over in the passenger seat of the vehicle with blood on his face, forehead and shirt, said police, adding that it appeared the man had significant injuries to his head and face as a result of the crash.

When officers asked the passenger if he had been driving, a man, later identified as Wharton, sat up from the grass in front of the truck and identified himself as the driver, police said.

Wharton, who smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech and difficulty maintaining his balance, told officers that he and the passenger had been consuming alcoholic beverages at a local bar before the crash, police said.

Officers requested Wharton complete a field sobriety test, which he failed, according to police.

Wharton was transported to the police department and completed a breathalyzer test, providing a blood alcohol content level that was .202, more than twice the legal limit to operate a vehicle in Idaho.

Wharton was then charged, arrested and booked into the Bannock County Jail. He appeared in front of Judge Hooste for an arraignment hearing Wednesday, during which his bond was set at $10,000.

Wharton posited the bond on Thursday and was released from jail. He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 30.

If convicted of the felony aggravated DUI charge, Wharton faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.