Anaconda driver faces 2nd charge in crash

By Erin Nicholes of The Montana Standard - 01/06/2009

ANACONDA — A man accused in a drunken driving crash that killed another man now faces an additional charge in connection with the incident.

Justin Michael Saltenberger, 22, 1906 W. Park St., has been charged with negligent vehicular assault, a misdemeanor, for allegedly injuring his passenger Shawn Hughes in the Dec. 23 crash, Anaconda district court records said.

The day of the crash, Saltenberger was charged with vehicular homicide while under the influence, a felony, for the head-on collision that killed Lee Francis Lang, 72, of Anaconda.

He is out of jail on $50,000 bond, and is scheduled to make an initial appearance in district court Jan. 14.

Court records revealed new details about the incident: The evening of Dec. 22, Saltenberger drove his pickup to Opportunity where he drank beer with Hughes and Matt Wittwer; he later drove to Anaconda to pick up Greg Smith and then returned to Opportunity to continue drinking, records said.

About two hours later, Saltenberger drove the three men to Carmel's Bar and later to the Rock Inn, where they allegedly continued drinking until 2 a.m.

After leaving the Rock Inn, Saltenberger allegedly dropped Smith off just west of Anaconda, and was returning on Highway 1 driving east near Hunter's Trailer Court when he allegedly swerved into the westbound lane.

Lang, who lived at Silver Lake, was driving westward.

Witnesses driving behind Lang told investigators Saltenberger swerved into Lang's lane and collided with his car head on. Lang died at the scene. Hughes was injured as well; his jaw was broken in two places.

At the scene, officers found in Saltenberger's truck a case of Coors Light with 10 full cans inside, an unopened Jack Daniels Whiskey bottle, four full cans of Miller Light, one empty can of Coors Light and two empty cans of Bud Light.

Saltenberger allegedly acted agitated after the accident, hitting himself and threatening suicide at the scene, and at Community Hospital of Anaconda told an officer "he was going to try for his gun so he would have to shoot him." He was monitored at the Anaconda jail until he could see a crisis response professional, who will not conduct an assessment until a person's reason is not clouded by alcohol or drugs, court records said.

"At 9 a.m. on Dec. 23, approximately six and a half hours after the collision, (Saltenberger's) breath alcohol level was still .099." The legal limit is .08.