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Driver in fatal March 18 Zephyrhills crash also dies

 
Published April 1, 2015

ZEPHRYHILLS — The driver blamed for an early morning crash on U.S. 301 last month that killed a 16-year-old has also died from injuries sustained in the crash, Florida Highway Patrol reported Wednesday.

Julian Tanner, 67, of Plant City died Saturday, apparently at Lakeland Regional Hospital. Tanner was driving a pickup about 6:30 a.m. March 18 when authorities say he rear-ended another pickup being driven north on U.S. 301 driven near Gall Boulevard by William Kent, Jr., 32, of Dover.

Kent's vehicle was pushed into the path of a Pontiac Vibe driven by Suleika Gonzalez-Tiernan, 39. The car spun and landed into the ditch killing its backseat occupant, Kelmy Tanon, 16, of Zephyrhills, who attended St. Petersburg High. Also in the car was 9-year-old Isaiah Gonzalez. The accident closed the highway to traffic for four hours.

Last week, a letter to Tanner from Tanon's father, Shane Tiernan of St. Petersburg, was published on the op-ed page of the Tampa Bay Times ( tbtim.es/fvf), in which Tiernan expressed forgiveness for the accident that took his son's life.