TITUSVILLE, Fla. – The vandalism was discovered early Thursday morning, when funeral home manager Aimee Mendiola said she checked surveillance video after arriving at around 5:30 a.m. The discovery came just hours before the funeral home was scheduled to serve three families — services that required transportation.
“We were already calling around to funeral homes in our area just to see if they had vehicles that they would be able to lend us because I think everyone was pretty busy today,” Mendiola said.
The damaged vehicles have since been repaired, but Mendiola said the crime was costly and created immediate stress for staff trying to make sure families were still taken care of.
She credited Alex at Fire Tire for stepping in quickly to help get the vehicles back on the road.
“He answered the phone on the first ring. He was here in 10 minutes. He did it all himself and took care of everything for us really, really quickly,” she said.
Even with the repairs completed, Mendiola said she wishes whoever is responsible had handled the situation differently.
“It could’ve been a conversation… I really can’t think of who,” she said. “We didn’t have anyone disgruntled… so I just kind of wish that whatever it was, it could’ve been a phone call — a conversation in person — so that I could understand, because we always try to do the right things by families, even if they are upset.”
Her bigger concern now is safety.
“It worries me because I have employees coming and going throughout the night. It worries me for their safety,” Mendiola said.
Police are reviewing surveillance images and asking anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information to contact Titusville Police.
Titusville PD also tells News 6’s Ashley Garrett this case has potential to be treated as a felony.