Fugitive back in court 17 years later

Kim Smith

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001 | 9:44 a.m.

Jose Rojas Salazar was a little late when he walked into the Clark County Courthouse Monday morning, but Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker wasn't complaining.

The way Booker sees it, 17 years late is better than not showing up at all.

The last time Salazar was in a Clark County courtroom it was March 19, 1984, and he had just pleaded guilty to one of two crimes he was accused of committing. He had also agreed to a one- to six-year prison sentence.

Salazar was arrested Sept. 17, 1983, and accused of crashing into U.S. Air Force Major John Robinson on Interstate 15 about 27 miles south of Las Vegas.

Robinson, who had just been assigned to the Thunderbirds at Nellis Air Force Base, had gotten out of his Volkswagen to switch seats with his wife. Instead, he became pinned between his vehicle and Salazar's.

Robinson's wife pleaded with Salazar to go get help. He fled, but not to get help.

Instead, a California Highway Patrol officer spotted Salazar speeding 50 miles south of the accident -- driving on the wrong side of the road, Booker said.

After a high-speed chase ended in his arrest, blood tests showed Salazar, then 26, had a blood alcohol level of 0.11, Booker said. The legal limit in Nevada is 0.10.

Although Robinson survived the crash, he was unable to fly for at least six months, Booker said.

Salazar pleaded guilty to a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident in exchange for the driving under the influence charge being dismissed.

He was released on $2,500 bail and was scheduled to be sentenced on April 19, 1984.

He never showed up.

Although a warrant was immediately issued for Salazar, it wasn't until last week that Salazar was arrested in California.

Booker said detectives for the Small Business Administration office became aware of the warrant while investigating allegations that Salazar's produce company -- which had been financed with a $225,000 SBA loan -- was a front for a drug ring.

John Stewart, an investigator with the SBA's inspector general's office, declined to comment Monday.

Salazar was taken into custody and made an appearance before District Judge Sally Loehrer Monday morning.

Loehrer, over Booker's objections, set a $100,000 bail for Salazar. The prosecutor asked for a $300,000 bail, noting that Salazar was voluntarily deported to Mexico four times prior to the 1983 crash on such charges as DUI and alien smuggling.

Booker also noted that Salazar has at least seven aliases -- a fact that may have aided him in his life on the lam, he said.

Defense attorney James "Bucky" Buchanan had asked for Salazar to be released on his own recognizance. He said Salazar, who was not his client in 1984, hasn't been in trouble since the accident.

Salazar will be sentenced Nov. 5.

In 1984, Booker said the Department of Parole and Probation recommended that Salazar get the maximum sentence of six years. That is the maximum he could receive next month, although the law now requires a two to 15-year sentence for those convicted of leaving the scene of an accident.

Booker said he has not yet been able to find Robinson to tell him of Salazar's arrest.