New charges filed against Salmon for accident before wrong-way crash

MILWAUKEE -- 23-year-old Erin Salmon is accused of crashing into an off-duty Milwaukee police officer while driving the wrong way on I-94, allegedly drunk. Monday, September 17th Salmon made her first appearance before a judge, where additional charges were filed against her for a second crash that occurred that night.

Seated in a wheelchair with tears in her eyes, Salmon made her first appearance before a Milwaukee County judge Monday. Salmon is accused of driving drunk westbound on eastbound I-94 with her headlights off for close to 2.5 miles on September 5th, eventually slamming her car into a vehicle driven by off-duty Milwaukee Police Officer Joshua Albert.

Salmon and Albert were each trapped in their vehicles, and eventually taken to Froedert Hospital, listed in critical condition.

During Salmon's court appearance Monday, the judge read charges of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle, both related to the wrong-way I-94 crash.

However, those weren't the only charges filed against Salmon.

A criminal complaint indicates September 4th was a night that started with four beers and a shot of whiskey for Salmon at an east side bar.

The complaint says when Salmon left that bar, she rear-ended a car near Oakland and North just before 11:30 p.m. The complaint says Salmon's boyfriend, a passenger in her vehicle, got out of the car to talk with the crash victim. The complaint goes on to say the crash victim began writing down the license plate number of the car Salmon was allegedly operating. The victim in that crash told police Salmon's boyfriend yelled at him, asking him not to call officers, and forget about the crash.

Salmon's boyfriend then made a move for the cereal box the victim used to write down the license plate number. The victim started to call police, and Salmon's boyfriend tried to grab his phone, before jumping back into the car with Salmon. The two drove off, heading east on North Avenue.

Less than 15 minutes later, Salmon was allegedly involved in another hit and run. A criminal complaint says Salmon rear-ended a second car, en route to I-94.

Salmon's boyfriend told police Salmon was supposed to drop him off at his car, and he would follow her home. However, Salmon's boyfriend told police Salmon drove off in the opposite direction. Shortly thereafter, Salmon's vehicle met Officer Albert's vehicle on I-94.

Officer Albert suffered a severe pelvic injury, spinal fluid leak, internal bleeding and a fracture to his femur.

Salmon's attorney told FOX6 News Monday she is taking this one day at a time.

"She's going through a lot, as Officer Albert is, and his family is also. We're trying to get everybody healed up. We hope both parties are healed up soon and we're going to have to address the court matters here pretty soon," attorney Julius Kim said.

Salmon will be back in court for a preliminary hearing on October 9th.

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