Candlelight vigil held for couple killed by suspected DUI driver
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Mendez children were preparing for a holiday trip to the coast with their parents at the end of December -- now, they are planning their parents funeral after they were killed by a suspected DUI driver.
Sunday night they held a candlelight vigil where they said prayers and loved ones shared memories of the couple.
53-year-old Daniel Mendez and his wife 44-year-old Ramona Mendez were out delivering the Fresno Bee paper early Saturday morning. That's when police officers say they were rear-ended by a DUI driver going at least 80 miles per hour on Kings Canyon Road near Temperance Avenue.
RELATED: 2 dead after suspected DUI driver crashes into newspaper delivery driver in Southeast Fresno
Both daughters say their lives have completely changed -- they will now be stepping in to parent their 16-year-old brother.
Their children say their dad was a carrier for the Fresno Bee for more than seven years, and their mom used to help on the route to spend more time with their dad.
Daughter, Jasmine Mendez said, "They loved to work, they loved actually being together and doing something together spending time together."
The suspect has been identified as 25-year-old Michael Merritt-Hutchins -- he survived the crash with moderate injuries, and once he was released from the hospital he was booked on DUI and vehicular manslaughter charges
The Mendez family says Christmas will be completely different this year, and they do not know how they will be able to celebrate without them.
Their children told us their parents would have celebrated their 30th anniversary next month.
If you would like to help the Mendez family you can donate to their GoFundMe here.
