Olympic silver medalist skier Jeret "Speedy" Peterson has committed suicide near Salt Lake City, days after his arrest on suspicion of drunken driving, police said on Tuesday.

Peterson, 29, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Monday night, shortly after he called emergency dispatch to say he was going to kill himself, said Lieutenant Justin Hoyal, a spokesman for Unified Police of Greater Salt Lake.

He was a silver medalist in the men's freestyle aerials competition at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada.

Peterson's body was found beside his vehicle on a road just outside Salt Lake City, Hoyal said. Police said he left a suicide note, but they declined to reveal the contents of the message.

Peterson's death on Monday came three days after the Olympic athlete was arrested in Idaho on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving. He was released from the Blaine County Jail in Idaho after posting $500 bail.

He had been arrested after speeding in a Dodge Dakota pickup through Hailey on Friday, in south-central Idaho, at an estimated 70 miles per hour, which was over the local speed limit of 25 mph, police said.

He failed three field sobriety tests, including a walk and turn and a one-leg stand, according to a police report.

Peterson pleaded not guilty in paperwork filed by his attorney to the charge of driving under the influence and the speeding citation.

He was originally from Boise, Idaho, but most recently lived in the ski haven of Park City, Utah. He had not planned on competing during the 2012 season and was a full-time business student at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, according to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

Peterson gained the nickname "Speedy" because coaches thought he resembled the cartoon character "Speed Racer" when wearing his helmet, the association said.

He invented his signature jump the "Hurricane," a five-twist and three-flip maneuver that landed him the silver medal in Vancouver.

"I know Speedy's friends and family were incredibly proud of his effort in Vancouver, and his achievements were an inspiration to people all over the world," U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun said in a statement.

"The personal challenges Speedy has battled are familiar to all of us, and on behalf of the U.S. Olympic Committee, I'd like to offer my sympathy to Speedy's family and friends," Blackmun said.

Peterson's behavior at times got him in trouble with the law and sports officials. In 2006, he was sent home from the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, after a fight, according to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

Peterson was found guilty in 2008 of public urination in Boise and in 2006 he pleaded guilty to theft by receiving stolen property, according to Idaho court records.

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