A La Mesa man is headed to state prison for eight years after a wrong-way, head-on crash in Lemon Grove killed a front-seat passenger and injured others, including the woman’s teenage son, on a stretch of Broadway near Sweetwater Road, authorities said.
Prosecutors say 28-year-old James Mendias pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and related counts, and a judge handed down the eight-year term at a hearing this week. Court filings and prosecutors’ statements said Mendias had a reported blood-alcohol level of 0.16% and that his pickup was traveling at roughly 70 mph before it crossed into oncoming traffic, as reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune.
How the crash unfolded
Deputies say Mendias’ Chevrolet Silverado crossed into the eastbound lanes on the 8400 block of Broadway shortly before 8 PM and slammed head-on into a Ford Explorer. Responders found two open alcoholic beverages and a canister of nitrous oxide in and around the pickup, and both video and an off-duty law enforcement witness backed up reports of wrong-way driving at the scene. Those details are drawn from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office and summarized in coverage by Patch.
Victim and family
The woman who died was identified as 36-year-old Tonia Silva. Prosecutors said the Explorer’s driver, described as her fiancé, and Silva’s 15-year-old son were also in the vehicle and were taken to the hospital with injuries. Family members addressed the court at sentencing, and Mendias’ defense attorney, Charles Gilliland, told the judge his client expressed remorse, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Sentence and legal context
Gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated is a felony under California law with a potential range of four to 10 years in state prison, and Mendias’ eight-year term falls within that band. Convictions of this type can also bring fines, restitution, and a lengthy driver’s license suspension or revocation, depending on court orders and a defendant’s prior record. The statutory elements and typical sentencing ranges are outlined in California jury instructions at CALCRIM/Justia…