Jury finds Juan Mendoza guilty of impaired driving causing death

A jury in Kitchener has found Juan Mendoza guilty on all six charges, including dangerous operation causing death and impaired driving causing death, after a double-fatal crash in downtown Kitchener in 2019.

Mendoza was found guilty on one count of dangerous driving causing bodily harm, two counts of dangerous driving causing death, one count of impaired driving causing bodily harm and two counts of impaired driving causing death.

The verdict was handed down on Thursday morning. Deliberations began Wednesday just before noon, and stopped around 9 p.m. as the jury couldn’t come to a unanimous decision.

Mendoza is now 73-years-old. His sentencing is scheduled for October.

HISTORY OF THE CASE

Mendoza was driving a vehicle that crashed in May 2019, killing his wife, Maria and another passenger Tia Luna. A third passenger, Julia Gomez was seriously injured.

Security footage played for the jury showed the vehicle leaving a parking lot off Ontario St. and speeding through the Charles St. bus terminal, eventually hitting a pole on Gaukel St.

Earlier this month, Mendoza pleaded not guilty to the charges including dangerous operation causing deathand impaired driving causing death.Throughout the trial, court heard Mendoza was highly intoxicated at the time of the crash.

Closing arguments were heard on Tuesday.

Before the verdict, the jury was asked to determine if it was Mendoza’s impaired driving that caused the vehicle to crash and ultimately cause the deaths.

The Crown argued that his intoxication caused him not to apply the brake and keep driving the vehicle until it crashed.

Meanwhile, Mendoza’s lawyer argues the vehicle malfunctioned causing Mendoza to have to swerve and avoid obstacles.

VICTIM’S SON REACTS

CTV's Colton Wiens hears from the son of a victim in the fiery 2019 crash. (CTV News/Dan Lauckner)The son of Julia Gomez, the third passenger who was seriously injured, spoke to CTV News after the verdict was given.

Douglas Gomez said he feels relieved by the verdict.

“So many emotions right now. I feel I am shaking. It’s such welcome news to see that the jury was able to look at the evidence and come to finding him guilty of all six counts. Which I think is the right decision,” said Douglas.

Douglas said it was a long wait, but he’s pleased to see the judicial process finish.

“We’ve been waiting for this for almost four years. So now we need to wait for the sentencing that I also hope fits the crime. Because there’s two dead people and one life who is not [having] a good quality of life,” he said.

Douglas said his mother would be relieved. 

"And happy for justice served to her two dear friends who died. Because she was very very close [with them]. Until today, she keeps asking for her two friends,” he said.

Douglas said his mother has not been the same since the crash, and said she suffered several injuries, including cracked ribs, a shattered bone in her shoulder and a broken femur.

"She cannot make new memories ,and her day is a different date in time. She only recalls things from the past, and she relives those things from the past," Gomez said the day before the verdict.

“It’s both a good thing and a bad thing. The reality of it is that this remains a tragedy for everyone that was involved. Nothing is going to undo the damage that was done this day,” said Brandon Gould, Crown Attorney. 

“It’s both a good thing and a bad thing. The reality of it is that this remains a tragedy for everyone that was involved. Nothing is going to undo the damage that was done this day,” said Brandon Gould, Crown Attorney.