MARTINEZ — The driver in a 2025 fatal crash has been sentenced to six years in state prison after pleading no contest to manslaughter and drunk driving, court records show.
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John Conrado-Valenzuela Solla Jr., 38, pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the March 21, 2025 crash that killed 54-year-old Michael Baldridge. Prosecutors in Contra Costa initially charged Solla with drunk driving and having three prior felony convictions but those charges and enhancements were dropped through the plea deal.
Solla was sentenced on Sept. 1, records show. He receives credit for about two years and four months worth of time spent incarcerated while the case was pending, including good behavior credits, records show. Solla had prior burglary, gun possession, and car theft convictions in San Joaquin County between 2009 and 2020, according to the criminal complaint.
Authorities say that around 10:30 p.m. on the date of the crash, Solla crashed a vehicle into Baldridge’s motorcycle near Highway 4 and Discovery Bay Boulevard. Baldridge was transported to a hospital and declared dead there. California Highway Patrol investigators determined Solla was intoxicated at the time, according to court records.
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An obituary for Baldridge describes him as a father of three and grandfather whose family members were “the light of his life.”
“Michael’s life was a tapestry woven with stories, lessons, and perspectives that left an indelible mark on all who knew him. He embraced life with kindness, resilience, and a spirit that inspired those around him,” the obituary says. “His warmth and generosity will forever be cherished.”
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