Drunk Long Island bar hopper accidentally steals car that’s identifcal to her own ride: cops

A boozed-up Long Island bar rat was allegedly so hammered that she got into the wrong car as she left a local watering hole and sped away as an unwitting fast-and-furious car thief, officials said.
Ariel Salgado, 35, was allegedly blasted on a combination of drugs and alcohol when she left a Patchogue bar on Saturday and took off in a gray 2020 Mazda CX-5 identical to her own vehicle, according to The Suffolk County Sheriff’s office.
The rightful owner of the vehicle accidentally left his keys in the car, and Salgado’s identical Mazda was parked just a few spots away, the sheriff said.
“Our Deputy Sheriffs remain vigilant in identifying and removing impaired drivers from our roadways before they can cause serious harm,” said Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr.
“This incident also serves as a reminder to never leave your keys or key fob inside your vehicle, even for a short time,” he added.
Salgado was pulled over shortly after leaving the bar, after cops witnessed her driving at a high rate of speed down nearby Waverly Avenue just before 3 a.m.
Officers said Salgado’s breath stunk of booze, her speech was slurred and she completely bombed field sobriety tests before officers ran the plates and realized the rightful owner just reported the car as stolen.
Cops discovered that Salgado stole the car “by mistake,” and the vehicle was returned to its rightful owner, who decided not to press charges, cops said.

Salgado was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired by the combined influence of alcohol and drugs, along with a slew of traffic violations for speeding, driving on the shoulder, and failing to use a lane.
It is currently unclear what drugs she may have used prior to getting behind the wheel.
She was arraigned later that same day and pleaded not guilty to all charges. She is due back in court on Aug. 21.