My name is Leanne Saltar, I am the mother of Ethan Cody Bleu Saltar. Ethan was listed a the Federal Heights boy in the 9 news report but he really did not live in Federal heights we are considered Denver or unincorporated Adams County. I want to share Ethan's story with the public as maybe it can save another life. I would not wish this tragedy on another family. I am a 42 year old Mother of 2 Ruby Jo Saltar 19 years old and Ethan Cody Bleu Saltar 12/15/1993-09/19/2010 16 years old and Grand mother of 2 Zane Persinger-Saltar 3years old and Elijah Saltar 1 year old both Ruby's boy that we were all helping to raise including Ethan. I have worked in a Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for the last 20 years as a laboratory technician/specimen processor. We are the same as a human laboratory only we only do blood work for animals.
The accident occurred in the early morning hours approximately 1:54 AM of September 19th,2010 Ethan was in the back passenger seat and one of Ethan's best friends age 17 years old was driving, the friends girlfriend 22 years old was in the passenger seat. She owned the ford explorer the accident occurred in and gave her 17 year old boyfriend the car keys because she was too drunk to drive. There was a total of three people in the car at the time of the accident, they had just dropped off two other passengers right before the accident occurred. They were headed East bound on 80 the avenue in Westminster at a higher rate of speed and the 17 year old driver was moving the steering wheel back and forth messing around when they hit the railroad tracks they blew out a tire and rolled the vehicle. The explorer landed at 80th Avenue and Stuart St with Ethan laying behind it as for some reason he was not wearing his seat belt so he was ejected. The 22 year old girls arm was trapped under the explorer she has had 4 of 10 surgeries to correct it. I really have not followed her recovery as I feel she is partly to blame for my son's death as she purchased the alcohol and gave her boyfriend that only had a learners permit the keys to drive her car. The driver was not injured as far as I know, there were no other cars involved in the crash. We are not sure where they were going as we have been told they were going to another party and we have also been told they were bringing Ethan home which they were heading in the right direction for that.
I did not learn of the accident or anything about Ethan until one of the teenagers that had gotten dropped off right before the accident called me about 5:15 AM. When the phone rang I assumed it was Ethan calling me for a ride home I was wrong. The Girl on the other end of the line asked me if I was Ethan's Mom I did not understand her so I asked her to repeat what she said. So she asked me again if I was Ethan's Mom and I told her "yes" and where is he. She proceeded to tell me their friend the 22 year old had been in an accident and they thought Ethan was with her and he was gone. I asked her what she meant gone and what hospital they had taken him to. So then I proceeded to find the number to the hospital and got through they took my information and said they would call me back. As I was hanging up from that call the Adams County Sheriff's knocked at my door. They asked me if I was Mrs. Saltar and I said yes but I needed them to leave because I knew what they where here for. They asked me what I meant and I told them they were here to tell me my son was Dead and they needed to leave. They would not leave and asked me if they could come in, I did let them in. They asked if anyone else was home and I told them my daughter Ethan's sister was downstairs. At that point I woke her up and called my mother with the horrible news. One of the sheriff's officers was looking around my house with his flashlight for some reason which made matters worse. I kept asking them to leave I told them I needed to be alone and they would not until either the victims advocate got here or my family. To make a long story short I even sent the victims advocate ladies away because I needed to be with only my family. Now I have heard they knew who Ethan was at 3:00 AM that morning but did not notify me until 5:30. My son died in the OR at 3:40 AM September 19th. I was not allowed to see him until Friday September 24th the morning of his funeral.
We have a lot of support from our family, close friends, The DA's office, Adams county's Victims advocate and our local area M.A.D.D. victims advocate. We get together ever month on the 19th and meet at the crash site.
We have had a hard time with the fact that Ethan is gone it feels like a never ending nightmare that you never awake from.
My family and I do have forgiveness for the 17 year old driver as he has to live with this for the rest of his life. I am sorry to say at this point we do not have any forgiveness toward the 22 year old girl. She was not even being charged at first and was considered a victim. She is now being charged for four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor but continues to tell her friends she will not serve anytime for it. They say there is nothing they can charge her with in Ethan's death so I do not feel justified there. Her mother is a defense attorney that specializes in DUI and DWAI cases so she probably will just get a smack on the hand.
Ethan is survived by his father my husband of 22 years Steve Saltar, Myself Leanne Saltar, his Sister Ruby Jo Saltar, Nephews Zane Arthur Lee Persinger-Saltar, Elijah Josiah Saltar, Grandparents: Claude and Ruby Persinger, Ray and Judi Phillip, Mary Saltar, Great Grandma: Harriet Phillip, Aunts: Laurie Hudson, Lisa Persinger-Jackson, Danielle Devine, Tyanna Sanders, Kassidy Hetzel, Roberta Altman, Wendi Adams, Uncles: Greg Adams, Charlie Hudson, Sam Jackson, Cousins: Aaron Hudson, Sarah Stockall, Ray Jackson, Crystal Ward-Mccarthy, Adam Hudson, Adriane Hudson, Lorisa Strain, Jackie Devine, Antione A.J. Graves, Caleb Hudson, Gabriel Hudson, Skyla Strain, Connie Hammack, Kristen Hammack, MacKenzie Adams, Ariel Adams, Gabrielle Adams, Connor Adams, Maya Calderon, Christian Calderon and many other cousins and Great Aunts and Uncles.
I would hope that I can stop this from happening to another family as I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be the mother at the light post. I thought I had drilled it into my kids head to NEVER get in the car after drinking or with someone else that had been. Ethan knew he could call me no matter what time of day or night and I would come get him no matter where he was. He also was good about wearing his seat belt so I do not know why he was not wearing it that night.
Please ALWAYS wear your Seat belt and NEVER DRINK and DRIVE or get in a car with a DRUNK DRIVER. Do not give in to PEER pressure and take drugs or Drink.
The accident occurred in the early morning hours approximately 1:54 AM of September 19th,2010 Ethan was in the back passenger seat and one of Ethan's best friends age 17 years old was driving, the friends girlfriend 22 years old was in the passenger seat. She owned the ford explorer the accident occurred in and gave her 17 year old boyfriend the car keys because she was too drunk to drive. There was a total of three people in the car at the time of the accident, they had just dropped off two other passengers right before the accident occurred. They were headed East bound on 80 the avenue in Westminster at a higher rate of speed and the 17 year old driver was moving the steering wheel back and forth messing around when they hit the railroad tracks they blew out a tire and rolled the vehicle. The explorer landed at 80th Avenue and Stuart St with Ethan laying behind it as for some reason he was not wearing his seat belt so he was ejected. The 22 year old girls arm was trapped under the explorer she has had 4 of 10 surgeries to correct it. I really have not followed her recovery as I feel she is partly to blame for my son's death as she purchased the alcohol and gave her boyfriend that only had a learners permit the keys to drive her car. The driver was not injured as far as I know, there were no other cars involved in the crash. We are not sure where they were going as we have been told they were going to another party and we have also been told they were bringing Ethan home which they were heading in the right direction for that.
I did not learn of the accident or anything about Ethan until one of the teenagers that had gotten dropped off right before the accident called me about 5:15 AM. When the phone rang I assumed it was Ethan calling me for a ride home I was wrong. The Girl on the other end of the line asked me if I was Ethan's Mom I did not understand her so I asked her to repeat what she said. So she asked me again if I was Ethan's Mom and I told her "yes" and where is he. She proceeded to tell me their friend the 22 year old had been in an accident and they thought Ethan was with her and he was gone. I asked her what she meant gone and what hospital they had taken him to. So then I proceeded to find the number to the hospital and got through they took my information and said they would call me back. As I was hanging up from that call the Adams County Sheriff's knocked at my door. They asked me if I was Mrs. Saltar and I said yes but I needed them to leave because I knew what they where here for. They asked me what I meant and I told them they were here to tell me my son was Dead and they needed to leave. They would not leave and asked me if they could come in, I did let them in. They asked if anyone else was home and I told them my daughter Ethan's sister was downstairs. At that point I woke her up and called my mother with the horrible news. One of the sheriff's officers was looking around my house with his flashlight for some reason which made matters worse. I kept asking them to leave I told them I needed to be alone and they would not until either the victims advocate got here or my family. To make a long story short I even sent the victims advocate ladies away because I needed to be with only my family. Now I have heard they knew who Ethan was at 3:00 AM that morning but did not notify me until 5:30. My son died in the OR at 3:40 AM September 19th. I was not allowed to see him until Friday September 24th the morning of his funeral.
We have a lot of support from our family, close friends, The DA's office, Adams county's Victims advocate and our local area M.A.D.D. victims advocate. We get together ever month on the 19th and meet at the crash site.
We have had a hard time with the fact that Ethan is gone it feels like a never ending nightmare that you never awake from.
My family and I do have forgiveness for the 17 year old driver as he has to live with this for the rest of his life. I am sorry to say at this point we do not have any forgiveness toward the 22 year old girl. She was not even being charged at first and was considered a victim. She is now being charged for four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor but continues to tell her friends she will not serve anytime for it. They say there is nothing they can charge her with in Ethan's death so I do not feel justified there. Her mother is a defense attorney that specializes in DUI and DWAI cases so she probably will just get a smack on the hand.
Ethan is survived by his father my husband of 22 years Steve Saltar, Myself Leanne Saltar, his Sister Ruby Jo Saltar, Nephews Zane Arthur Lee Persinger-Saltar, Elijah Josiah Saltar, Grandparents: Claude and Ruby Persinger, Ray and Judi Phillip, Mary Saltar, Great Grandma: Harriet Phillip, Aunts: Laurie Hudson, Lisa Persinger-Jackson, Danielle Devine, Tyanna Sanders, Kassidy Hetzel, Roberta Altman, Wendi Adams, Uncles: Greg Adams, Charlie Hudson, Sam Jackson, Cousins: Aaron Hudson, Sarah Stockall, Ray Jackson, Crystal Ward-Mccarthy, Adam Hudson, Adriane Hudson, Lorisa Strain, Jackie Devine, Antione A.J. Graves, Caleb Hudson, Gabriel Hudson, Skyla Strain, Connie Hammack, Kristen Hammack, MacKenzie Adams, Ariel Adams, Gabrielle Adams, Connor Adams, Maya Calderon, Christian Calderon and many other cousins and Great Aunts and Uncles.
I would hope that I can stop this from happening to another family as I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be the mother at the light post. I thought I had drilled it into my kids head to NEVER get in the car after drinking or with someone else that had been. Ethan knew he could call me no matter what time of day or night and I would come get him no matter where he was. He also was good about wearing his seat belt so I do not know why he was not wearing it that night.
Please ALWAYS wear your Seat belt and NEVER DRINK and DRIVE or get in a car with a DRUNK DRIVER. Do not give in to PEER pressure and take drugs or Drink.