COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris refuted allegations that he was involved in a recent single-vehicle crash near Raising Cane’s, after rumors of such circulated on social media.

Blogger Casey Whalen first shared the allegations Thursday, publicly posting several videos on the matter, including an interview with a man wearing a Raising Cane’s uniform who said he witnessed Norris crash into the restaurant sign, damaging it. 

“There is one problem with this narrative,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release Friday. “Sheriff Bob Norris was not in the state of Idaho on the date and time of this incident.” 

According to the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the crash occurred May 16, and Idaho State Police handled the investigation. 

The driver, identified by police as Kirk Kelso, “was driving his vehicle during the rain storm when he lost control of his vehicle,” according to public records obtained by The Press. 

Kelso crashed into the Raising Cane’s sign and sustained a concussion, according to ISP. He has not been charged with any crime. 

Whalen’s videos circulated on social media, with one receiving more than 10,000 views as of Friday afternoon. 

London Eden, the restaurant employee, told Whalen in a video interview that he pulled Norris from the vehicle after the crash and that the sheriff smelled strongly of alcohol. He also said a female passenger in the vehicle, whom Whalen implied was Norris’ wife, was badly injured. 

Kelso was the vehicle’s sole occupant, according to police. 

Norris said he was celebrating his daughter’s high school graduation Thursday, while rumors circulated that he had crashed a vehicle while driving drunk. 

“The actions of this Cane’s employee, keyboard warriors and the two-bit so-called online journalist(s) ruined what should have been a memorable evening for our family,” Norris said in a news release.