OAKLAND, CA - MAY13: The Alameda County Superior Courthouse is seen from this drone view in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, May 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND — Vehicular manslaughter cases are known to drag on for years, not only because the investigations can be complex but also because defendants are often released on bail, giving them little motive to rush towards a trial.
Angelo Tollardo’s case is an exception on both fronts. He was charged and held without bail in early April for killing 55-year-old Christopher Pena during a Hayward hit and run crash that occurred last September. Then, just six weeks later, Tollardo came to court and took his charges, pleading no contest to vehicular manslaughter and hit and run in exchange for a nine-year prison sentence, according to court records.
Tollardo remains in custody as he awaits formal sentencing, which has been set for mid-July.
According to police, Tollardo crashed a stolen car into Pena, who was riding a bicycle near Orchard Avenue and Mission Boulevard in Hayward. The collision occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 6, 2023, and police actually noticed Tollardo before the crash.
A police probable cause statement says patrol officers were searching for another person that afternoon, when Tollardo whizzed past them in a stolen car that had been parked on Evelyn Lane. Police say they “followed” the car but weren’t engaged in a pursuit, but that Tollardo continued to “drive in a reckless manner” and collided with Pena’s bicycle while running a red light.
Pena’s death caused an outpouring of grief in the local community, including from Hayward’s chief of police, as well as a public call for tips on the suspect’s identity. When police eventually identified and arrested Tollardo, they found a private social media message that said he was “surrounded” by police because he “smacked a n—a on mission.” He then allegedly asked the other person for a ride, according to court records.
A GoFundMe page in Pena’s memory describes him as a dedicated husband and father of three who loved riding his bicycle. He’d celebrated his eldest daughter’s 21st birthday the same week he was killed, the page says.
“Chris was incredibly smart, friendly and genuine. He was known by all his neighbors and was loved by everyone,” the pages says. “His family and friends are devastated from his senseless death.”
Originally published at Nate Gartrell