A 17-year-old boy from Fallbrook who moved to Arizona to live with his mom was killed in a car crash Tuesday, police said.
Johnathan Mendez was killed on Arizona State Route 95 when he drifted off the side of the highway near Lake Havasu. It was unclear why he lost control of the car.
His father, Ismael Mendez, said Johnathan was involved with the Boys Scouts and played several sports in high school, including basketball. Johnathan was the eldest of four brothers.
His brother, Ismael Miguel Mendez, said the sudden loss has been very difficult, especially during the holiday season.
“It felt so unreal,” he said. “I don’t know. It just didn’t feel like it was real. I’m not sure if it’s sunk in. I don’t know if it’s sunk in yet.”
Macaria Mendez, Johnathan’s grandmother, was also in disbelief when he heard the news. She didn’t believe it herself.
“I did not want to believe it, I knew it was true,” she said in Spanish. “We're going to miss him. I don’t know why God took him away so soon.”
Local
Ismael Miguel said his brother was a big part of the family and has always been there for him and his brothers when they needed him.
“He was my best friend,” he said. “No matter what happened, we were always there for each other.”
It’s going to hard know that his brother was not going to be a part of his life anymore, Ismael Miguel said.
