HENRICO COUNTY, Va. β Two mothers are preparing to face the driver responsible for their sons' deaths as he awaits sentencing for a deadly racing crash in Goochland County in May 2024.
Joseph Castro and Aiden Schmidt should be in the home stretch of their senior year at Tucker High School. Instead, their families β including their mothers, Sonia Rodriguez and Allison Schmidt β will walk across the graduation stage to accept their diplomas.
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The two friends were passengers in a car that crashed into a tree on Hockett Road near Tuckahoe Creek Parkway. Deputies say the crash happened during a street race.
"We will be taking their diplomas for them," said Allison Schmidt. "I think that's an honor at least that we can do for them, but it's sickening."
The 18-year-old driver, Hayden Alexander Kyle, pleaded guilty in mid-October to two counts of causing death by racing. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Friday morning, where he could learn his punishment.
The mothers say they want to use this tragedy to prevent similar incidents.
"We want to bring awareness," said Allison Schmidt. "We know there's teens out there doing the same thing. I mean, if this could change somebody's life, change a moment, think about it."
The two mothers have thought about the tragedy every day for the past year and a half. They say the sentencing hearing is not only about punishment but sending a message that reckless choices behind the wheel can destroy families forever.
"My son was very protective of me and his sisters and everything," said Sonia Rodriguez.
Crime Insider sources say the person in the other car during the deadly race was Carson Lambert, a Benedictine student recently arrested for driving under the influence and crashing a stolen car into a Chesterfield firehouse.
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