PERRIS, CA — A 26-year-old Perris woman who was killed in a weekend crash involving an alleged DUI driver is being remembered as a beloved only child who was just one semester away from earning her master’s degree in education.
“On January 12th, our beloved Jocelyn was tragically taken from us in a senseless accident caused by a drunk driver. As an only child, Jocelyn’s loss is devastating not only to her family but to everyone who had the privilege of knowing her,” according to a GoFundMe page. “She leaves behind her heartbroken parents, close family, and a community that will forever feel the void of her vibrant spirit.”
At approximately 12:20 a.m. Sunday, Riverside County deputies were called to a crash at the intersection of Placentia Avenue and the southbound Interstate 215 offramp in Perris.
According to the sheriff’s department, the wreck involved a Toyota sedan driven by Jocelyn Mendoza and a Dodge truck driven by Ivan Jerome Simmons, a 23-year-old Perris resident.
Mendoza was exiting the southbound I-215 at Placentia Avenue when the Dodge, traveling westbound on Placentia Avenue, collided with it in the intersection.
Mendoza was unresponsive and had significant injuries. She was pronounced deceased at the scene, the sheriff’s department said.
Simmons ran from the crash but was found a short distance away and later arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit-and-run causing death, DUI causing bodily injury, and reckless driving. He remained jailed Monday night at Southwest Detention Center in lieu of $1 million bail, according to jail records.
Mendoza’s parents are facing an unimaginable tragedy, the GoFundMe post said. She “was intelligent, funny, full of life, and incredibly kind. Her infectious laugh and compassionate nature made her a joy to be around.”
The young woman was “a proud graduate of UC Irvine,” so close to finishing her master’s degree, the GoFundMe post continued. She appeared to be working in her chosen field at the time of her death.
“Jocelyn’s dedication to her community was evident in her work as a substitute teacher at the California Military Institute, where she touched countless lives with her passion for teaching and her caring, selfless heart,” according to the GoFundMe post, which is raising money for Mendoza’s parents to help with funeral expenses, medical costs, “and to provide financial assistance as they navigate the painful journey ahead.”
As of 6 p.m. Monday, the GoFundMe page had raised more than $11,000.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Deputy Jess Kiebach of the Perris Sheriff’s Station at 951-210-1000 or the Riverside Sheriff’s Dispatch at 951-776-1099.
