A drunk driver who killed a La Jolla waiter on his way home from work has been sentenced to nine years in state prison. His friends told the driver the victim would have forgiven him, even for causing his death.
Bryan R. Delaney, 36, worked at George’s at the Cove in La Jolla and was on his way to his home near University City when his motorcycle was struck by a car driven by Jeremy Lucas Salcedo, 27, of San Diego, at 1:08 a.m. July 25, 2014.
Salcedo had been free on $500,000 bond until he was sentenced by San Diego Superior Court Judge Charles Rogers Sept. 18. Salcedo was handcuffed and as he was led away, several family members said, “Love you, Jeremy.”
Salcedo will have to serve 85 percent of the nine year term and was ordered to pay $1,299 in restitution to the family. He received credits for eight days in jail and was fined $440.
Salcedo pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, drunk driving and fleeing the scene of an accident. A second-degree murder charge was dropped in July. Salcedo has two drunk driving convictions and his driver’s license was suspended.
“Brian truly was a gem. Brian would have forgiven you,” said the victim’s ex-roommate, Brian Beechler, to Salcedo. “He was an amazing individual. Brian’s spirit lives on in the rest of us.”
Salcedo made a U-turn in front of Delaney, who was ejected from his motorcycle in the 3600 block of Morena Blvd. Salcedo abandoned his car. Salcedo claimed his mother was driving the car, according to his probation report, and he told the officer he didn’t know where she went.
Salcedo refused to take sobriety tests until one was ordered two hours later and he had a blood/alcohol level of .16, which is twice the limit for felony drunk driving, the report said.
The judge said he was amazed to hear his friends say Delaney would have forgiven the driver, adding “It sounds like to me that the world lost a fine, wonderful and really rare soul.” v
