Prosecutors have filed a half-dozen charges against a Cody man alleged to have driven drunk, fled from police at high speeds and injured an officer as he resisted arrest.

Aaron L. Driesel, 25, faces three felony and three misdemeanor counts in connection with the Aug. 17 incident in Cody. He also continues to face felony strangulation and drug possession charges that date back to 2021.

During a Monday hearing, Deputy Park County Attorney Jack Hatfield referenced both cases in arguing for a $100,000 bond. Hatfield described last week’s incident as “very serious,” citing the “significant danger” posed to the general public and to law enforcement. Charging documents say that, in the struggle to arrest Driesel, Cody Police Officer Chris LeBlanc suffered an injury to his shoulder that put him out of commission for at least a few days.

Driesel apologized multiple times in court on Monday, despite being warned that anything he said could be used against him.

“I feel bad because I never intentionally tried to harm anyone,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

Park County Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah adopted the prosecution’s bond recommendation, and Driesel remained in custody on Wednesday.

The Aug. 17 incident began shortly before 11 p.m., when Cody Police Officer Mark Martinez clocked Driesel’s Chevy pickup driving 40 mph in a 25 mph zone on Sheridan Avenue. When Martinez attempted to stop the vehicle, Driesel allegedly sped off.

Charging documents say the suspect hit roughly 70 mph while driving through a 20 mph construction zone on Wyo. Highway 120N and crossed into the oncoming lane to get around slower-moving traffic.

About a mile north of the city, Driesel stopped before again fleeing north at 100 mph, Martinez wrote in an affidavit. The suspect stopped for good about 2 miles up the highway and began walking toward the officer’s vehicle with his hands raised. However, he refused to comply with Martinez’s orders and a struggle ensued, the officer wrote. Driesel “actively resisted arrest by striking and shoving me,” Martinez said, and the altercation went to the ground. As he and other responding officers attempted to handcuff Driesel, LeBlanc “suffered an injury to his left shoulder” that required attention at Cody Regional Health’s emergency room, the affidavit says. LeBlanc was reportedly told to stay home from work until at least Tuesday, with the full extent of the injury unclear.

Police allege Driesel was impaired from a combination of alcohol and controlled substances at the time of the chase and struggle.

“When Driesel was removed from my patrol car, he was so highly impaired that he was unable to stand,” Martinez wrote.

Officers found several open containers of alcohol and two empty containers of marijuana products in Driesel’s truck and he allegedly admitted to drinking and using marijuana earlier in the night.

Speaking in court on Monday, Driesel said he didn’t remember the night’s events and, “I feel terrible about it.”

The county attorney’s office has charged Driesel with two felony counts of interference with a peace officer, alleging he “intentionally and knowingly caused bodily injury” to LeBlanc and attempted to hurt Martinez. Additionally, Driesel has also been charged with a felony count of possessing a controlled substance for a third or subsequent time, plus misdemeanor counts of fleeing police and driving while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances for a second time in 10 years.

Driesel is also continuing to face separate felony counts of possessing a controlled substance for a third or subsequent time and strangulation of a household member, stemming from an altercation with his girlfriend in May 2021. At the time, Driesel reportedly told responding police officers that he’d shoved and slapped the woman after she hit him in the genitals. However, the woman is quoted in charging documents as saying that Driesel also pinned her down, put his hand around her throat and slammed her head on the floor.

Alcohol and marijuana are alleged to have played a role in that incident as well, along with amphetamines. The case has run into multiple delays: Defense attorneys unsuccessfully tried to have the charges thrown out for a speedy trial violation, and most recently, the case had been put on hold while the parties discussed a possible plea deal. At the time of last week’s arrest, Driesel had been free on a signature bond. He’ll need to post $100,000 to be released again.

“Under the circumstances, he needs to stay in jail,” Hatfield argued.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 31.