" loading="" class="lazyload size-article_feature" data-sizes="auto" data-src="" src="https://www.mercurynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/STC-L-JYMENDOZA-0120-01_92882073.jpg?w=503"/>
Mark Mendoza Zambrano appeared in courtroom Wednesday, the place he was sentenced to almost seven years in jail for the DUI manslaughter killing of Allison Endert in 2020. (Shmuel Thaler — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
SANTA CRUZ — A 20-year-old Santa Cruz man was sentenced to almost seven years in state jail for driving whereas excessive on marijuana and killing a Santa Cruz County analyst.
The courtroom of Santa Cruz County Superior Courtroom Decide John Salazar was stuffed Wednesday with almost two dozen individuals red-eyed and muted, each in particular person and through Zoom. Per a plea take care of the Santa Cruz County District Legal professional’s Workplace, Mark Mendoza Zambrano is dealing with a six-year and eight-month incarceration for his position within the June 15, 2020 dying of 43-year-old Allison Endert.
Sister Cathy Endert, talking by video name, mentioned she hoped to see Mendoza serve “each minute of his quick sentence.” Mendoza, who has been jailed since June 2020, will obtain credit score for time already served and will see his jail time decreased by “good habits” credit.
“Anybody who liked her goes to endure the lack of Allison Endert. All of us liked her a lot,” Cathy Endert mentioned. “I don’t need Allison’s life to be forgotten or minimized as a result of she isn't right here at the moment.”
On the day of Endert’s dying, Mendoza was driving westbound on Murray Avenue when he did not navigate a flip within the street on his strategy to the Santa Cruz Seashore Boardwalk. With out braking, Mendoza reportedly drove straight over the curb close to Mott Avenue and struck each Endert and her then 15-year-old daughter, who had been returning on foot from close by Seabright State Seashore.
Endert labored as a employees member for Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty and had accomplished the identical for his father earlier than him, former Supervisor Neal Coonerty. The youthful Coonerty joined Endert’s household within the courtroom in the course of the sentencing.
Mendoza spoke on his personal behalf, often pausing to assemble himself whereas studying a pre-written assertion to the courtroom. He mentioned was sincerely sorry for the ache he had induced since Endert’s dying and had “realized many classes from this unlucky tragedy.”
“I, as nicely, should stay with the unlucky penalties from my mistake for the remainder of my life,” learn Mendoza in a voice thick with emotion. “I need you to know that I'm not anyplace close to what individuals would possibly declare me to be; that I, as a person, do take accountability for the actions and for all of the ache that I've introduced you.”
Avoiding a full trial, Mendoza pleaded no contest to gross vehicular manslaughter whereas intoxicated and DUI inflicting damage. He was convicted Dec. 16 on the felony prices.
Santa Cruz County Assistant District Legal professional Alex Byers, serving as prosecutor for the case, mentioned Mendoza had taken accountability for his crimes by pleading to the costs.
“Is it sufficient time? No. It’s by no means going to be equal,” Byers mentioned, referring to the lack of Endert’s life. “To stability it out, we’ll see what Mr. Mendoza does when he will get launched.”
Salazar mentioned that the courtroom had obtained quite a few letters forward of the sentencing, with writers describing how a lot Endert had contributed to her group. Whereas there was ache for each Mendoza’s and Endert’s households, the lack of Endert was everlasting, he mentioned. Salazar urged Mendoza to carry tightly to the teachings he had realized from this expertise, notably after serving his jail time period, and to go on to assist others.
“There’s no means to return and rewind any of this however I hope the message goes out to our group and to others that each time we get the possibility to speak about that, we see somebody who has one thing to drink or one thing to smoke or one thing to make use of and any individual that drives somewhat too quick, who will get somewhat reckless … all these issues,” Salazar mentioned. “The protection legal guidelines are essential and don’t do these issues, as a result of that is the kind of tragedy that occurs, one thing you possibly can’t take again.”