The man accused of causing a crash that killed a young mom pleaded guilty in court today.
Robert Binderim entered a guilty plea to second-degree manslaughter and injury to a child involving serious bodily injury.
On the night of July 27, 2017, Banderim was speeding when he ran a red light and struck 26-year-old Amanda Saldañas’s SUV. In turn, her vehicle struck another car. Amanda Saldaña was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 2-year-old son was in the backseat. He was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. He had suffered a traumatic brain injury. The 65-year-old driver in the third car suffered injuries as well and was hospitalized.
Two other charges were dropped against Binderim in exchange for his guilty plea on the manslaughter and injury to a child charges.
The judge allowed victim impact statements from the family. Cory Saldaña, Amanda’s wife, spoke first.
“Do you know how it feels to look at your son? And when he looks up at you and asks what happened to his mom. How do you tell a baby the only mom he’s known for 3 years is gone?”
Amanda’s sister, Sabrina De La Fuente, also spoke, “And I want you to know that what you did was no accident.”
Binderim was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
