‘We’re one community.’ Madera rallies to support teens’ families after deadly crash
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Madera community organizes multiple fundraisers to support victims’ families.
- Fundraisers raised about $4,670 and distributed proceeds directly to families.
- Local businesses and hundreds of volunteers coordinated events and donations.
Community members in Madera are rallying to support the mourning families of the three teen boys who were killed in a car crash in February.
The crash happened about 1 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15 following a brief, high-speed chase after Madera County deputies responded to calls of people breaking into vehicles near El Vado Drive and Avenue 18½ north of Madera city limits. According to the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle matching the description fled at a high rate of speed as deputies arrived. The driver lost control of the vehicle, crashing into a concrete barrier on Avenue 17 near a Highway 99 on-ramp.
Authorities say four of the five people inside the vehicle died in the crash. They were identified as Juan Quezada, 25, the driver of the vehicle; Benito Mendoza, 15; David Daza Pérez, 15; and Stephen Rodriguez, 13.
An 18-year-old passenger survived and was airlifted to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition. The Sheriff’s Office did not clarify how, or if, the teens and man in the vehicle were related. Stephen, at 13, was the youngest of those killed.
For the families, the loss has been devastating.
“We found out through family members,” said Abraham Vasquez, David’s cousin and owner of The Come Up Kickz, a Madera clothing and sneaker store. “It’s a small city, and everybody knows everybody. Everybody knows who we are.”
Vasquez said David’s mother and brother have been struggling deeply with the loss.
“My aunt, she’s very depressed right now. David’s brother is suffering from PTSD and depression,” he said. “It’s a hard battle that my family is facing. I’m just trying my best to keep the family strong. No matter what happens, we just gotta keep going.”
He described 15-year-old David as a lively teenager who often spent time at his sneaker shop and looked up to him
“He would tell me he wanted to be just like me and follow in my footsteps,” Vasquez said. “I would spend time with him at the store because he would always volunteer. He was funny and very intelligent, and he had a lot of goals.”
In response to the tragedy, the community of Madera has organized several fundraising events to help the families cover funeral costs.
On Sunday, Feb. 22, vendors held a lunch fundraiser in Madera, where proceeds from food sales went to David’s family. The event included café, tamales, picaditas, champurrado, memelitas, enchiladas, atole de granillo and pan de seis.
A second event followed on Feb. 28, also in Madera, when community members organized a larger fundraiser to support all the families affected by the crash. The event included a car wash and more than 15 vendors selling items such as dresses, party decorations, lemonade and face painting, with about 50 volunteers helping throughout the day. The event, organized by Vasquez and The Come Up Kickz, drew hundreds of people.
He said organizers worked carefully to ensure the money raised would go directly to the families, assigning specific people to manage vendor payments and car wash donations.
Seeing the families attend the event made the day especially meaningful, Vasquez said.
“Both of the moms were there, and the siblings were there,” he said. “Even one of the dads was washing cars with us.”
For Vasquez, the turnout reflected the strength of the community during a difficult moment. About $4,670 was raised that day and was split amongst the families affected.
“At the end of the day, we’re one community,” he said. “I genuinely want to thank our supporters and the people who support us, not just right now, but on a daily basis. We wouldn’t be here without them.”
Anabell Zavala, owner of Kimberly’s Fashion Gift & Things in Madera, was also among the local business owners who stepped in to help.
She organized a raffle for a flower bouquet to raise money for David’s family shortly after the crash.
“When I saw the news, I wanted to help,” Zavala said. “I always do raffles, so I thought, let me do a raffle.”
Within a day, the community had already responded.
“In less than 24 hours we were able to finish the raffle and have the money ready for the family,” Zavala said.
She said the response from residents across Madera has been overwhelming.
“I see so much support,” Zavala said. “People come to my shop and tell me, ‘We’re praying for that family. We don’t know them, but they’re in our thoughts.’ That says a lot.”
For Zavala, helping organize fundraisers is deeply personal.
When she heard about the crash, she said it reminded her of her own family’s loss.
“When I saw the moms hurting, it took me back to when my family lost my siblings,” she said. “Nobody deserves to bury their kid. Especially not at such a young age.”
Because of that experience, she said she believes the community has a responsibility to support the families during their grief.
“The last thing they need to worry about right now is money,” she said. “What they need is prayers and support.”
This story was originally published March 6, 2026 at 1:01 PM.
