Midvale police officer resigns in DUI incident

MIDVALE — One of the Midvale Police Department's most visible officers has resigned amid a drunken-driving investigation of an accident that resulted in a totaled police car and three other vehicles that were heavily damaged.

Sgt. John Salazar, the department's public-information officer, tendered his resignation Tuesday to Midvale City Attorney Craig Hall.

Hall called Salazar an "exemplary," "valuable" and "important" employee who over his 13 years of service proved to be a "competent and capable" officer.

Over the weekend, however, Salt Lake County sheriff's investigators believe Salazar made the mistake of driving while intoxicated.

About 1 a.m. Sunday, police received several calls after a Dodge Charger, which was an unmarked Midvale police car, sideswiped a parked vehicle in a residential area near 4600 South and 3000 East, continued on and hit a second parked car that was pushed into a third vehicle, said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson. Damage to all vehicles was significant, he said. The police car was totaled.

Neither Salazar nor his passenger, a female who reportedly lived in the neighborhood, were injured.

Deputies investigated the crashes. They detected an odor of alcohol on Salazar's breath when they arrived, Hutson said. They also administered field sobriety tests.

The off-duty officer was ticketed for DUI, a class B misdemeanor. Salazar was cooperative with the deputies the entire time. He was not booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, which under the circumstances, would have been the same protocol for anyone, whether they were a police officer or not, Hutson said. Someone else drove Salazar home.

"This is an unfortunate event, and everyone makes mistakes," said Hutson, who noted Salazar did not receive any preferential treatment. "I think we (as law enforcers) are held more accountable than others."

Hutson said it was extremely commendable that Salazar took responsibility for his actions.

The Holladay City Attorney's Office will review the case for official charges.

Salazar was the department's main point of contact for the media. Salazar had conducted countless numbers of interviews with local reporters, including those at the Deseret News.

"It's a tragedy he has suffered both personally and on behalf of the city," Hall said. "It's a tragedy that happened."

Midvale city officials have been in contact with the owners of the vehicles that were damaged. At least one person was provided a rental car by the city until other arrangements could be made.

e-mail: preavy@desnews.com