Woman alleged to have drunkenly crashed into Cody restaurant

POWELL (WNE)— Prosecutors say a drunk driver crashed through the wall of a Cody restaurant on Sunday night, temporarily trapping a man under her truck. 

Heather L. Johnson, 58, is facing a felony count of causing serious bodily injury while driving while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances. Johnson is also charged with misdemeanor counts of driving while under the influence for a third time in 10 years and reckless driving. 

As of Monday afternoon, she remained in the Park County Detention Center, with bond set at $15,000, cash or surety. 

Johnson is alleged to have driven into the front entrance of El Vaquero shortly before 8:30 p.m. The Mexican restaurant, located just off of Bighorn Avenue/U.S. Highway 14-A, was closed at the time, but there were still people inside. 

Cody police said Johnson’s Dodge pickup entered the south end of the building and went into a private room that’s separate from the restaurant’s dining area. 

Charging documents and comments from a prosecutor indicate that a young man was inside the room, and that Johnson’s truck pinned him to a chair. When they arrived on scene, members of the Cody volunteer fire department were able to lift the vehicle enough to free the trapped man. He was taken to Cody Regional Health, where police said he received treatment and was later released. 

Johnson was also taken to Cody Regional Health, where she told a nurse she’d drunk “approximately 32 ounces of vodka,” according to an affidavit from Cody Police Officer Tom Wilshusen. 

A preliminary hearing is tentatively set for March 27.

This story was published on Mar. 21, 2023.