DRUNK DRIVER CATCHES HIMSELF

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- Sometimes, authorities have to spend a lot of time investigating a crime. Sometimes, investigators have an easy time investigating crimes. Then there's that once-in-a-lifetime moment when the criminal catches himself.

That's exactly what happened to 35-year-old Abdiel Salazar-Rios of Lincolnton Monday around 10:30 p.m.

He was driving his Ford pickup along Salem Church Road and came upon Lincolnton Police Sgt. Jeremy Wilson, who was investigating a one vehicle accident.

Wilson said he stopped Salazar-Rios and asked him for his license.

"He gave me a blank stare and asked why," said Wilson.

When Wilson approached Salazar-Rios, Wilson could smell alcohol and placed Salazar-Rios in the back of his patrol vehicle.

After investigating the accident, Wilson then gave Salazar-Rios a field breathelyzer test, where the suspect was more than twice the legal limit of intoxication. The legal limit is .08.

When the suspect was given an official intoxilyzer test, he blew a .12.

The smell of alcohol, however, wasn't the giveaway that the suspect was drinking and driving.

According to Wilson, the clue that Salazar-Rios was breaking the law was on the roof of his pickup.

"There was a beer on the top of his truck," said Wilson. "The beer stayed there while he was driving and when he stopped, it didn't move."

Wilson charged Salazar-Rios with driving while impaired and having no operator's license. He was cited and given a custody release, with a court date for December.

As Wilson recounted the story, all he could do is shake his head.

"I've never had the evidence right there in front of me before," said Wilson. "He had a friend in the car who thought the whole thing was real funny."