According to family members, Sammy Castaneda was the type of man who put his family first and who would “give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it, and he would have expected nothing in return.”
“He was a loving husband, a great dad, he taught me everything I know about being a man, and he makes me want to be more like him,” said Samuel Castaneda about his father.
On Sunday evening, the family lost Castaneda to a fatal car crash.
Castaneda was riding his motorcycle and came to a stop at a red light at 50th and Indiana street. He was then hit by a truck from behind, sending both him and the truck through the intersection, and colliding into two other vehicles.
Castaneda’s motorcycle soon became pinned between two vehicles.
He was taken to UMC where he later died from his injuries. The man responsible for the fatal crash has been identified as 49-year-old James Pritchard, who was arrested and charged with manslaughter.
According to court records and police reports, Pritchard has been arrested two other times previously for DWIs. Police say there is probably cause to believe alcohol contributed to the crash.
Pritchard is being held on a $50,000 bail.
While the family remains in mourning, they share with EverythingLubbock that they are staying strong and hoping for justice.
“This guy [Pritchard] had faults, he was wrong, he made a mistake that cost somebody their life, cost a family their backbone,” said Castaneda. “Me hating him isn’t going to be what makes this right. The only people that can make this right are the ones who are going to be there to make sure that justice is served.”
