‘Day in and out, I pray for God for forgiveness’: San Pablo man speaks out as he’s sentenced for fatal DUI crash

OAKLAND A San Pablo resident was formally sentenced to six years in prison for killing a -year-old man in a wrong-way drunk driving collision but not until after he heard from the victim s family and offered them an apology I am sorry Words can t even express how sorry I am Day in and day out I pray for God for forgiveness Erik Steverson revealed at his Oct sentencing hearing Not only did I pray to God for forgiveness I prayed to the family to forgive me Steverson pleaded no contest last September to a vehicular manslaughter charge for killing Sean O Brien an Emeryville resident in Sept Police commented at the time that at about a m Steverson was driving the wrong way near the Interstate and Interstate eastbound interchange and collided with O Brien s car Steverson was injured but still managed to flee the scene and run to a bike path but police eventually located him I m a different person now I am smarter I m much more mature than I am than I was before Steverson declared at the hearing I am really sorry Two of O Brien s family members spoke at the hearing remembering him as a nurse who was assisting his elderly parents at the time of his death O Brien worked a late shift and was headed home when he was killed they commented Anybody that needed help they would go to him and he was reliably there for them He was a Buddhist and he considered in peaceful you know changes and constantly worked hard during his whole lifetime O Brien s uncle Stephen O Brien disclosed at the hearing Steverson killed a human being and a really bright spot in the human race Judge Rozlynn Silvaggio spoke to both sides of the tragedy before pronouncing sentencing telling O Brien s loved ones she was sorry the court was unable ease their pain But from the bottom of my heart I wish you all peace and I hope that his memory is a blessing to you all as you move forward in this life Silvaggio noted before turning to Steverson I hope that moving forward as you do that you find peace that you find meaning because you re here on this earth still and I hope that there can be healing she mentioned