Son of victim speaks out as deliberations begin in Juan Mendoza trial

The jury will begin deliberations Wednesday in the trial of Juan Mendoza, the man accused of killing two people in a fiery downtown Kitchener crash in 2019.

Mendoza was driving a vehicle that crashed in May 2019, killing his wife and another passenger. A third passenger wasseriously injured.

Earlier this month, Mendoza pleaded not guilty to charges including dangerous operation causing death, and impaired driving causing death.

Throughout the trial, court heard Mendoza was highly intoxicated at the time of the crash.

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.

Closing arguments were heard on Tuesday.

SON OF THIRD PASSENGER SPEAKS OUT

The third passenger, 85-year-old Julia Gomez, was seriously injured in the crash.

Her son, Douglas Gomez, talked to CTV News, outside of the courtroom on Wednesday. 

“She's not okay, she's stable. Her quality of life is very poor," said Gomez.

Her son said she has not been the same since the crash.

“She can't take care of herself. She was a very private person, shy. Now she has people taking care of her daily needs, like taking a showering or going to the bathroom," he said.

Gomez said after the crash his mother had cracked ribs, a shattered bone in her shoulder and a broken femur.

She cannot remember the crash or anything after it due to a brain injury, according to her son.

"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.

CTV's Colton Wiens hears from the son of a victim in the fiery 2019 crash. (CTV News/Dan Lauckner)

DELIBERATIONS

The judge finished charging the jury just before 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, giving clear instructions to the 12 jurors on what they need to decide.

The jury must 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.

If no decision is made by tonight around 8 p.m., the jury will be sequestered until Thursday morning to continue deliberating.