Man surrenders to Arizona troopers for driving wrong way on Loop 101
Mar 16, 2018, 11:54 AM | Updated: 3:49 pm
PHOENIX — A man suspected of driving the wrong way on the Loop 101 and causing multiple injuries in the East Valley surrendered this week, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said.
In a release, the agency said 26-year-old Shane Hidalgo decided to turn himself in after finding out the charges filed against him. A spokesman said he was not told why Hidalgo had not previously been taken into custody.
Hidalgo was charged with aggravated assault, four counts of criminal damage, three counts of endangerment, super-extreme DUI, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The charges stemmed from a Feb. 2 incident. Authorities said Hidalgo drove the wrong way on the Loop 101 and caused two injury crashes near Guadalupe Road.
A lab analysis showed Hidalgo’s blood-alcohol content at the time was .238, nearly three times the state’s legal limit.
“Wrong-way drivers pose a serious threat to public safety and once again, impairment was the cause,” DPS Director Col. Frank Milstead said. “We need the public to understand the gravity of the decision to drive impaired, so they never have to face the grave consequences.”
Hidalgo hit at least four cars and injured four people, including himself. He suffered serious injuries in the crash and was hospitalized.
DPS released the above video of the surrender on Friday that showed Hidalgo holding back tears as he was placed into handcuffs.
KTAR News’ Ali Vetnar contributed to this report.
