Boy's death escalates DWI crash charge

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - There was little sign of life Thursday night, and Friday the young boy police said was hit by a drunken driver in Albuquerque last weekend is dead.

And while the man police said is responsible is out of jail, District Attorney Kari Brandenburg is trying to change that.

Brandenburg said Friday evening she filed an emergency motion asking a judge to review Mariano Salaz's conditions of release now that 2-year-old Vicente Griego has died.

For the past week many people in Albuquerque have been hoping for the best little for Vicente, but that did not happen.

"I think the family decided there was no point at this point in time to keep him on life support," Albuquerque Police Department Officer Robert Gibbs said.

This means big trouble for Salaz.

Police said Salaz was drunk when he crashed into the Griego family car early Saturday morning near Coors Boulevard and Interstate 40.

Police said Salaz fled after the crash, driving the wrong way down Coors and even hitting a cop car. APD eventually caught up with Salaz and arrested him.

Salaz bonded out of jail, but the district attorney's office said now that the child has died, they will beef up his charges to vehicular homicide and ask a judge to raise his bond to $100,000 cash-only.

District Attorney Kari Brandenburg said she does not want Salaz to skip town.

"Whenever the charges become more serious, you usually think that the risk increases," Brandenburg said.

This case has hit police hard.

The APD union put up flyers at their stations to raise money for Vicente's family.

And customers of Bob's Burgers, where Vicente's father works, and a local radio station have helped to raise more than $2000.

The new charges Salaz will see next week double his potential prison time to six years in prison.

"Everyone involved in this case empathizes with an innocent child who is very vulnerable that just gets killed," Brandenburg said.

Salaz is due in court next Wednesday to face the new vehicular homicide charge.

Vicente Griego's family said they are going to donate his organs.