Laura Sanchez-Saldaña Sentenced after Pleading Guilty to Intoxication Manslaughter
Written by admin, Jul 25, 2018, Comments Off
Courtesy Yanira Resendez,
(Laredo, Texas)-The District Attorney’s Office secured a guilty plea in its case against Laura Sanchez-Saldaña, 44, who caused a vehicle collision that took the life of a Samuel Pedraza.
On August 28, 2015, at approximately 4:30 a.m., the Laredo Police Department Communications Division received a call regarding a car crash that occurred by the intersection of Highway 359 and E.G. Ranch. Upon arrival, LPD officers observed a blue in color Chevrolet pick-up truck with an unresponsive male in the driver seat who was later identified as Samuel Gilberto Pedraza.
Located near the vehicle was debris on the highway from the crash along with a license plate belonging to another vehicle. The officers determined the license plates belonged to a Dodge Durango owned by Laura Sanchez-Saldaña. Officers proceeded to follow the large pieces of debris along the side of the road in an attempt to locate the location of the registered owner.
A few minutes later, the Dodge Durango was located four blocks East of where the crash had occurred. The rear license plates matched the license plates left at the scene. Officers noticed a female on the driver’s seat with blood on her face and injuries to her right leg.
Laura Sanchez-Saldaña was taken to a local hospital to be treated for her injuries. Pedraza was pronounced dead at the scene in relation to blunt force injuries sustained to his chest and abdomen. It was later determined that Sanchez-Saldaña had a blood alcohol level of 0.16, twice the legal limit.
Laura Sanchez-Saldaña- was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter, a second-degree felony in the State of Texas. Saldaña-Sanchez faced two to 20 years in prison.
Laura Sanchez-Saldaña plead guilty to intoxication manslaughter before her trial began and elected for the jury to assess her punishment. The punishment phase of the trial took place before the 49th District Court Judge Joe Lopez, which was heard over the course of two days. The jury assessed a punishment of eight years to serve with a $5,000 fine. She will immediately begin her sentence at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division. As part of the plea, Sanchez-Saldaña- waived her right to appeal her conviction.
District Attorney Isidro R. Alaniz along with Assistant District Attorneys Rene Benavides, Ana de la Rosa, Christina Santos, Steeves Hopson and Eduardo Ramirez prosecuted the case for the State.
