Family mourning father killed in crash in Three Rivers

THREE RIVERS, Calif. (KFSN) -- A father, husband, son, and healthcare provider is being remembered by many after his tragic death Tuesday morning in Three Rivers.

Jesse Menchaca was driving home Tuesday morning when his truck veered off South Fork Drive through a gap into the Kaweah River about a mile from his home.

"I said I love you, get home safely. I asked him to pull over, I asked him to stop. He just wanted to get home to me and the kids," said Stacey Menchaca, Jesse's wife.

Stacey's life completely changed after she learned why her husband never made it home after that phone call.

Officials say the truck hit a boulder, flipped, and landed on its roof, partially submerged in the water.

A tragic death that Stacey says is hard to accept.

"Because the question of why and how and could it have been prevented and every time I drive there and I see the gap," explained Stacey.

Stacey says when driving on the road there is a slight curve moments before the bridge.

She also believes her husband was tired after a long drive.

"He was driving home from taking his mom to Mexico," said Stacey.

Stacey says their two young children meant the world to Jesse and says moving forward she wants to keep his memory alive in the brightest way possible.

"His smile was constant, you never saw him without it. There was always joy in his face," Stacey said.

Not only was Jesse dearly loved and happy at home but he carried his light everywhere he stepped foot, including his job as an ER physician assistant at Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville.

His co-workers say the loss is hard to grasp.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Jesse's family.

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