City of Kirby, friends, family honor road rage victim

Eric Mendoza shot, killed in Oct. 2010 while on his way home from work

KIRBY, Texas – The City of Kirby on Saturday hosted its 1st annual Fitness Run/Walk Benefit to honor a victim of road rage.

Eric Mendoza was shot and killed in October of 2010 while on his way home from work at the Frito Lay Warehouse.

Those who knew Eric Mendoza, said he would have appreciated the Run/Walk Benefit.

Mendoza was a Wagner High School graduate who played football, was on the wrestling team and was very much into fitness.

"He grew up playing baseball here," said Andrew Fernandez with the City of Kirby Parks and Recreation Department. "He was really into fitness. I miss him and I want people to know that I miss him and the City of Kirby misses him, and there's nobody else like him."

On Saturday, along with the City of Kirby, Mendoza's friends and family members put together the 1st annual Run/Walk benefit, which was held in conjunction with the City of Kirby's Hobo Fest.

More than a hundred people showed up not only to honor and remember Mendoza, but also other victims of road rage.

"There's not a day that goes by that it's not frustrating," said Patty Hernandez, Mendoza's mother. "The anguish, the pain, that my family and I are going through, I can't tell you and I wouldn't want it on anyway else."

Hernandez said to this day, police do not have any leads on the case and she is hoping Saturday's run will raise awareness about what happened to her son, so someone can come forward.

"I am not going to leave any stone unturned," said Hernandez. "I'm going to keep at it until these folks, whoever did this to my son, pays for what they did."

Hernandez is asking anyone who may think they have some information on Mendoza's murder to call Crimestoppers at 224-STOP.

Proceeds from Saturday's event will go to the Mendoza family and the City of Kirby.

For a list of recent stories Stephanie Serna has done, click here.


About the Author:

Stephanie Serna is a weekday anchor on Good Morning San Antonio and GMSA at 9 a.m. She joined the KSAT 12 News team in November 2009 as a general assignments reporter.