Sentence hearing in fatal Vasco Road crash moves everyone, including the judge

MARTINEZ — At a sentencing hearing earlier this month, the family of Brentwood resident Castulo Loredo Jr. tearfully memorialized him in the courtroom, and offered forgiveness for the distracted driver in the 2017 that crash that took Loredo’s life.

Loved ones young and old shared memories of Loredo, 55, describing him as the patriarch of a large family who was looking forward to retiring to spend time with his wife of 35 years. To one of his daughters, he was “invincible,” and “still a great man” to one of his sons. A young granddaughter described him as “the best person ever,” describing how he took her on fishing trips and “made the best chicken tacos.”

Bryce Sheridan, 33, pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter charges in Loredo’s death. He spoke in court, too, apologizing to Loredo’s family between sobs, before Judge Patricia Scanlon officially sentenced him to 180 days in jail. Sheridan was allowed to apply for house arrest in lieu of incarceration.

“My dad was a great man,” said Ray Loredo, Castulo Loredo’s son. He turned to Sheridan, who sat in the defendant’s chair a few feet away, his shoulders slumped. “You’re probably a good man, too. My dad’s probably forgiven you already. … Learn from this, please. Do not make the same mistake, please.”

Loredo’s daughter, Samantha Gurnsey, said that if her father were still here, he would want them to forgive.

“I thought this man was invincible my entire life, and yet he was taken away from me,” Gurnsey said. Turning to Sheridan, she said, “I hope when you walk away from this, you’re a better person.”

Before handing down the 180-day sentence, Judge Patricia Scanlon wiped tears from her eyes and remarked, “Sorry, judges aren’t supposed to cry,” to laughter. Then she turned to address Loredo’s family. As a calendar judge, Scanlon oversees plea deals in murder, manslaughter and rape cases on a routine basis, but she said this case would stay with her.

“You seem like a very forgiving family, and that will be your strength,” Scanlon said, later adding, “There’s nothing that can be said. You all expressed yourselves so well.”

Scanlon said that she knew the sentence was probably “not commiserate” with how Loredo’s family felt, but approved the deal. She noted Sheridan had no prior criminal history and is married with three children he needs to support.

“I doubt I will ever see (Sheridan) back here,” Scanlon said.

Loredo, known as “Junior” to family, was killed Nov. 7 in a three-car crash on the Brentwood side of Vasco Road. Sheridan admitted to being distracted and causing the crash, saying he was looking at another car tailgating him and “wanted to put space” between them.

“I wish I’d chosen otherwise. … I’ve gone over that day in my head a million times,” Sheridan said. “I never meant for any of this to happen, ever. … I can’t forgive myself. I will always pray for you.”

Loredo worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and was on his way there when the crash occurred. His widow, Cynthia Loredo, described visiting him in the hospital and finding “a broken man.”

“I could only hold his hand and talk to him,” Cynthia said. “I whispered in his ear, ‘I am retired. I have nothing else to do but take care of you. Just pull through.’ ”

Castulo Loredo died at the hospital a day after the crash.