Ten months after teenager was killed in a hit-and-run, troopers arrest Palmetto man

The day after Tyler Pittard, 13, and a family friend were killed by a hit-and-run driver in Palmetto last summer, a man came forward claiming he may have been the driver, but thought he struck a deer.

Zachary Nelson’s claim of hitting a deer wasn’t convincing to troopers even after the August of 2019 hit and run, but Nelson wasn’t charged right away.

Almost 10 months after the fatal hit-and-run, 45-year-old Palmetto resident Zachary Nelson has been charged by the Florida Highway Patrol.

Nelson was arrested on Wednesday. The arrest report was made available Saturday.

Pittard was with a group of adults walking along the shoulder of US 19 after a night of fishing in mid-August of last year. Troopers say Nelson veered from the roadway and slammed into the group, killing Pittard and family friend Donald Keener and critically injured another family member.

According to the FHP arrest report, the group was walking on the shoulder of the highway in the 4700 block at around 2:30 a.m. when Nelson’s vehicle left the roadway striking three of the four members of the group from behind, killing the young boy and Keener, 45.

The only one of the group not struck was able to report to troopers at the time that Nelson initially did stop his vehicle after impact, looked back and then drove away, according to the report.

Keener died at the scene and Pittard was transported to Manatee Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced deceased about an hour-and-half after the collision.

The third victim underwent emergency surgery at Blake Medical Center and survived, albeit with serious injuries to her body and legs.

Pittard was not the first one in his family to be killed along that stretch of US 19. Pittard’s mother, Mindy O’Neill, was riding her bicycle along the shoulder of the highway and was struck and killed when she attempted to cross the highway just seven months prior to Pittard’s death.

The morning after the crash, Nelson called the non emergency number at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, troopers say.

Deputies and troopers responded to Nelson’s home and began a criminal investigation after surveying Nelson’s damaged vehicle. According to the report, even though Nelson had called law enforcement, he did not cooperate and asked for a lawyer to be present for any further questioning.

“During my contact with the defendant at his residence, I observed the defendant to be very nervous, head tilted down and shoulders shrugged,” the trooper wrote in his report. “The defendant talked softly, almost as if mumbling. The defendant appeared to be somewhat pale and appeared anxious as well.”

Over the course of a lengthy investigation, troopers were able to track down several videos from various cameras on area businesses, as well as Palmetto High School and a local residence. All of the videos showed Nelson in the area around the time of the crash.

Troopers also obtained a search warrant for Nelson’s cellphone and were able to determine his location to be in the area at the time of the crash. Additionally, according to the report, troopers were able to determine the exact time Nelson went through the Sunshine Skyway Bridge tollbooth, which also put him in proximity just prior to the crash.

After building the case, “I physically arrested the defendant and transported him to the Manatee County jail,” on June 10, the investigator wrote.

Nelson is charged with two counts of failing to stop and remain at a crash involving death, one count of failing to stop and remaining at a crash involving serious bodily injury and concealing or doctoring evidence, all felonies.

According to jail records, Nelson was able to post bonds totaling $48,000 and was released the same day of his arrest. His first court date is tentatively scheduled for July 10 at 9 a.m.

This story was originally published June 13, 2020 at 12:59 PM.