Man who allegedly caused 8-car crash while drunk had pleaded guilty to DUI the day before

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — The day before police arrested him on suspicion of drunken driving after he drove the wrong way down Interstate 84, causing an eight-car pile-up, Christian N. Salgado pleaded guilty to an excessive DUI charge.

Salgado, 28, of Nampa, pleaded guilty on Jan. 22 to misdemeanor excessive driving under the influence in Canyon County stemming from an October arrest. In the October case, authorities said he had a blood alcohol content of .20 or more, which is more than twice the legal limit of .08, when he was stopped in Caldwell.

Despite pleading guilty, Salgado was out of custody after posting a $500 cash bond. He was set for sentencing in that case on March 3.

Roughly 24 hours after pleading guilty, police said Salgado triggered a chain-reaction crash on Interstate 84 on Jan. 23, near mile marker 29 outside Caldwell, when he was driving east in the westbound lanes. Amazingly, no one was injured. Idaho State Police said Salgado’s blood alcohol content at the time of the crash was .271, more than three times the legal limit.

A copy of the probable cause affidavit filed in Salgado’s case states that when police approached him after the I-84 crash, he told officers that he didn’t know where he was; his eyes were glassy and bloodshot; and he urinated on himself.

An officer also noted that Salgado had 30 to 40 empty cans of alcohol in his vehicle.

Saldago remains in custody at the Canyon County jail after a judge set his bond at $500,000 on Jan. 24. His next court date is set for Feb. 6.