Friday night in Ascension Parish completely changed in a split second. A quiet evening ended in pure heartbreak for the local community. A single-vehicle wreck took the life of a well-liked local man, leaving a massive void behind.
Ryan Mendoza was only 44 years old. He lived in Gonzales, where people knew him as a warm, kind soul. Now, his family and friends are left trying to process a reality that does not make any sense.
The Louisiana State Police are still trying to piece together exactly what went wrong. It all happened right around 9:25 p.m. Ryan was out driving his 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10, heading eastbound on Louisiana 42.
As he approached Galvez Baptist Church Road, the road changed. He reached a sharp right-hand curve. For reasons the troopers are still looking into, the powerful truck failed to make the turn.
The pickup left the pavement entirely. It went straight into a ditch and smashed hard against a dirt embankment. The impact was severe, drawing emergency crews to the scene within minutes.
First responders did everything they could. They rushed Ryan to a nearby hospital while he fought hard for his life. Despite the best efforts of the doctors and nurses, his injuries were just too severe.
The state police noted a tough detail in their report. Ryan was improperly restrained when the crash happened. Today, the people of Gonzales are simply focusing on the love he gave and the memories that can never be replaced.
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