Candlelight vigil tonight to honor Mesa Police officer

Officer Brandon Mendoza, a 13 year veteran of the Mesa Police department, was killed on Monday morning on his way home from work, by a wrong way driver. The Department plans to hold a candlelight vigil in honor of Officer Mendoza tonight at 7:30 p.m. at police headquarters located at 130 N. Robson.

The 40 year old wrong-way driver was the subject of 33 emergency calls as he travelled east in the westbound lanes of the Loop 101 Pima Freeway near Cactus Road in Scottsdale, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. KPHO reported that officers caught up to the driver and had set out spikes in an attempt to stop him.

They were unsuccessful and the unidentified driver travelled 33 miles before crashing head-on into Officer Mendoza.