Taylor Nicole Mendez was a graduate of Taylor Middle School.

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On April 2, 2017, Taylor, Isabella Torres, and June Marie Smith were killed in a car crash. Smith was driving the vehicle that crashed into a charter bus and failed to yield when turning onto Highway 71. ^{[4] [4]}

Witnesses also told troopers that the vehicle didn't have any lights on at the time of the accident.

^{[4] [4]}When first responders arrived, they discovered the three victims dead on scene. All three victims were riding in the car. ^{[4] [4]}

The charter bus was transporting Huston-Tillotson University baseball players and coaching staff back to Austin, Texas from Hobbs, New Mexico. No one on the charter bus was injured in the accident. ^{[4] [4]}