INDIANAPOLIS — On Wednesday morning, Catherine Hester walked alongside her son, 27-year-old Brandon Breedlove, as he was rolled down the halls of Methodist Hospital for his donor march.
His heart, liver and lungs are on the way to save three people.
Then hours later in a Marion County courtroom, Hester learned the man accused in connection to her son’s death can go back to his home in Texas if he posts bond.
27-year-old Salvador Banales faces eight counts in connection with the hit-and-run crash that killed Brandon and injured two others.
Over the state’s objection, the judge ruled Banales is free to travel from Indianapolis to Houston after he posts bond and surrenders his passport.
Hester sent us this statement after learning the news.
I’m extremely disappointed and want justice for my son, Hayley and Gabe. I have a very hard time knowing he (Banales) gets to go back home to his family, and I have to go back home alone without my son. I want a Brandon Breedlove law. I want Indiana to be the first state that when you murder someone here with your car, you should have to stay here and not be able to go home to your family. I will be on this mission for the rest of my life.” – Catherine Hester, Brandon Breedlove’s mom.
To get some perspective on this latest development, we spoke to Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner.
Hamner did not prosecute this case but said in his experience, the judge is trying to make sure Banales comes back to Indy if he posts bond.
“It’s going to get him back. That’s the goal. Under the law, that’s what the judge is trying to do is make sure he’s back. And that’s what I think is going to be accomplished with the setting of that amount of bond and those conditions,” said Hamner.
Hamner said the fact Banales waived his extradition is another step to ensure Banales shows up in court.
“That’s something that bothers prosecutors if a person fights extradition because it can delay the proceedings. In order to get the orders and the governors of the other states to send them back. It never doesn’t happen, but it’s time-consuming,” said Hamner. “This case is on a fast track. It’s being tried in June. With that waiver of extradition, he isn’t going to run any interference by saying, ‘I’m fighting extradition.’ He’s not allowed to. He’s already waived it.”
A trial is set for Banales on June 24th.
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