A 53-year-old Jackson man who drove his Chevy Tahoe into the Gros Ventre River, then upriver about a mile before getting stuck, is scheduled to plead guilty to his fifth DUI in 10 years on Tuesday.
Christopher David Eickhoff will plead guilty to driving while under the influence in a deal with prosecutors in exchange for the dismissal of a charge of possessing a controlled substance and a recommendation of two to four years in prison, according to a copy of the deal in his court file.
The deal allows Eickhoff to avoid enhanced penalties as a habitual DUI offender.
Court records show he has four prior convictions for driving while under the influence since August 2016, including two on the same day in April 2022.
You’re Scaring The Fish
Eickhoff set the wheels in motion the afternoon of Aug. 31, 2025, when he drove his white Chevy Tahoe into the Gros Ventre River, then almost hit a fisherman, who reported him to authorities, according to an affidavit in support of his arrest.
The fisherman was near the Crystal Creek Campground when he saw the Tahoe “driving westbound in the Gros Ventre River,” almost running over him, the affidavit says.
“The fisherman stated that the driver was an older white male and appeared to be ‘very intoxicated,’” the affidavit says.
By the time the Teton County Sheriff’s Office could get to the spot, Eickhoff had driven the SUV farther up the river, prompting deputies to hike on foot to his location.
That’s where they found the vehicle stuck in the middle of the river, the affidavit says, and Eickhoff acting unusual.
Apparently wanting some help finding more traction to continue his journey, “Eickhoff yelled out to the deputy to come ‘stand on his hood’ so he could keep driving down the river,” the affidavit says.
The deputy instead commanded the man several times to get out of the vehicle, “and after approximately three to five minutes of back and forth, Eickhoff complied,” the document adds.
Took Mushrooms
They then hiked out of the riverbed and waited for another deputy to arrive and Eickhoff was given a battery of sobriety tests, which he failed.
Despite failing to maintain a steady gait, crossing his feet as he walked and nearly falling down several times, Eickhoff denied having consumed any alcohol, according to the affidavit. He did, however, admit to ingesting mushrooms.
When circling back to continue investigating Eickhoff’s river ride, a sergeant with the Teton County Sheriff’s Office found where he took the Tahoe into the water, the affidavit says.
“(He) observed he had ran over several trees and had several parts of his car knocked off … due to the rough terrain he had driven through,” the affidavit says. “It was estimated that Eickhoff drove one mile down the stream in the Gros Ventre River.”
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
