Juan Carlos Rodriguez Palacios
A man whose blood alcohol content tested nearly three times the legal limit is being held at the Marion County Jail on suspicion of causing the deaths of three Salem-Keizer teenagers as the result of a motor vehicle collision Sunday, June 2.
Salem Police Department and Salem Fire Department responded to the report of a crash at the Salem-Keizer Parkway and Cherry Avenue Northeast about 11:30 p.m.
Officers arrived to find a white Toyota Camry and a black Jeep Wrangler off of the roadway.
The initial investigation indicates the Jeep was traveling northeast on Salem Parkway at a high rate of speed when it ran the red light at Cherry AV NE and collided with the Toyota traveling southeast.
All three of the Toyota occupants, Trinity Watt,19, of Salem, Madison Capobianco,19, of Salem and Makayla Tryon,18, of Keizer, were pronounced deceased at the scene.
The 25-year-old driver of the Jeep, Juan Carlos Rodriguez Palacios of Salem, and a passenger remained at the scene until they were transported to Salem Health for treatment.
Rodriguez Palacios was subsequently arrested on three counts of first degree manslaughter, four counts of reckless endangering another person, one count of assault and one count of reckless driving and driving under the influence of intoxicants.
Rodriguez Palacios’ blood alcohol content was 0.239 percent when tested, almost three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
He has been lodged at the Marion County Correctional Facility and will appear that the Marion County Circuit Court Annex for an arraignment at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 4.