'Tired of being robbed:' Man convicted in attack on motel worker in Fort Atkinson sentenced to prison
Mark Salgado
WALWORTH COUNTY -- A Whitewater man was sentenced to prison after he was convicted in connection with a motel worker in Fort Atkinson in February 2018.
Mark Salgado, 51, was convicted on the following counts in May 2019:
In court on Tuesday, June 25, Salgado was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison and 15 years' extended supervision on the first count, one year and six months in prison and two years' extended supervision on the second count, and five years in prison and five years' extended supervision on the third count -- to be served consecutively, for a total of 21 years and six months in prison, and 22 years' extended supervision.
Prosecutors said Salgado on Feb. 24, 2018 grabbed a motel employee by the hair, pulling her into a room where he attempted to stab her. They said he told investigators "he never meant to hurt anyone," and he was "tired of being robbed," further indicating he'd been assaulted by two Indian women earlier in the day.
It happened at the Villa Inn on Whitewater Avenue in Fort Atkinson.
According to the criminal complaint, the female motel worker could be heard yelling for help and for someone to call the police. There were several people trying to break into the room she was pulled into.
Villa Inn, Fort Atkinson
The 911 caller advised the hotel owner's wife had been assaulted, and was in Room #111. Salgado was in Room #103, where investigators found blood on the door handle and lock. When Salgado was ordered to open the door, the complaint said he responded by saying, "I don't think so," and, "I have a gun." He said, "I'm not going to hurt anybody," and, "I'm sorry about what happened."
The victim was "very upset and shaken," the complaint said. She had a laceration to her hand and injuries to her face and head.
When asked what happened, the complaint said Salgado indicated he'd been robbed. When he was ordered to put the gun down and exit the room, he didn't comply. He said he wanted to talk to officers, but needed to get dressed and he would come out, but he did not.
A standoff ensued, and mutual aid responded to the scene. Officials worked to negotiate Salgado's surrender, but he wouldn't open the door and continued to make remarks about having a firearm. When speaking with negotiators, the complaint indicated Salgado said he was "sorry" and he didn't want to hurt anyone. He said he was "tired of being robbed."
The victim in this case was eventually taken to the hospital after it was learned she'd suffered a deep laceration to her hand. At the hospital, the victim told investigators Salgado had arrived Feb. 23, 2018 and rented a room. Around 3:30 or 4 p.m., he went to the front desk and used the phone to dial 0, and she answered. He requested assistance with his coffee maker. She went to his room and knocked on the door. He answered and as she looked into his room she could see that the TV stand wasn't in its usual place. She said she got suspicious and began to talk away. She said she made it four steps before Salgado grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to the ground. She began yelling for someone to call the police and saw a female in the hall as she yelled for help. Salgado began striking her in the head and told her to "be quiet." He then pulled her into his room and pulled out a knife. She then grabbed the knife with her hand and his arm with the other. Believing Salgado was going to kill her, she said she "did everything she could do to defend herself." She said she could feel Salgado trying to get the knife closer to her body, and he told her to go into the bathroom. She said she ran in and locked the door, barricading herself inside. She said she could hear people in the hall trying to get into the room. Eventually, Salgado broke the bathroom door and got inside. At this point, she could see the door to the room had been opened and people were trying to get inside. That's when Salgado began stabbing himself in the stomach. The victim ran into her own room. A short time later, police arrived.
Mark Salgado
During negotiations, the complaint indicated Salgado threw out of the room a hand-drawn portrait of a Native American man. He agreed to talk to negotiators over the phone. The complaint said he said he was "sorry for assaulting the Indian woman." He said he'd been assaulted by two Indian women in their 30s and 50s on Feb. 23, 2018 in Brooklyn and Fort Atkinson and he "snapped" and was "sorry."
"Oleoresin capsules" were discharged into his room through the window and his door was breached. He was taken into custody by the SWAT team. He was "covered in blood" and injured -- taken to the hospital. During transport, the complaint said he made several comments that "he just wanted the police to shoot him."
No firearm was found in Salgado's room. They did find a utility knife in a jacket, and a black straight blade knife on a coffee table.
They found a suitcase with nylon rope and duct tape. In a bed stand, they found more rope. There was also alcohol scattered throughout the room. Investigators found a large amount of blood "all over the room." The complaint said a club type item was found in his car, along with camping gear.
According to the complaint, one of the people who helped get the woman out of the room suffered an arm injury and was going to the hospital. There, he told investigators someone was banging on their door and he learned a woman had just been pulled into a room down the hall. He said he and another tenant got the door open and got the woman out.