Kelmy Tanon, 16, killed; Zuleika Gonzalez-Tiernan, 39, Isaiah Gonzalez, 9, and Julian Tanner, 67, seriously injured in 3-vehicle crash on U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills, Florida
St. Pete High teen killed in 3-vehicle wreck
St. Pete High student killed, three badly injured in Zephyrhills crash
Teen killed in crash on US 301 in Zephyrhills, four others injured
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, at about 6 a.m. Wednesday, a Chevrolet pickup truck rear-ended a Ford pickup truck that was making a right turn into Zephyrhills Festival & Auction from the northbound lanes of US 301. The Ford pickup rotated into the path of a Pontiac Vibe. After striking the Pontiac, the truck hit a wooden power pole and a large rock, while the Pontiac landed in a ditch. A backseat passenger in the Pontiac, 16-year-old St. Pete High student Kelmy Tanon, was killed in the crash. He was not wearing his seatbelt at the time. The driver of the Pontiac, Zuleika Gonzalez-Tiernan, and a front seat passenger, 9-year-old Isaiah Gonzalez, were both brought to Lakeland Regional in serious condition. The Chevy driver, Julian Tanner, 67, was also taken to Lakeland Regional in serious condition, while the Ford pickup driver, William Kent Jr, 32, was brought to Florida Hospital Zephyrhills with minor injuries.
Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death
After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?
Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.
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