PALMETTO, Fla. — Prosecutors dropped the charges in a fatal hit-and-run crash in Palmetto in August of 2019.
In June 2020, the Florida Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Unit arrested a driver for several charges, including leaving the scene of the crash involving death.
The crash happened on August 17, 2019, just before 3:00 a.m. on U.S. Highway 19, south of 49th Street East in Manatee County.
13-year-old Tyler Pittard and a family friend, 47-year-old Donald Keefer, died.
A third person was hospitalized with critical injuries and survived. A fourth person was not injured.
In December 2023, the State Attorney's Office Twelfth Judicial Court dropped the charges against the driver.
We are not naming the driver because he is not facing any charges or citations.
Family of the victims are upset, frustrated and disappointed.
"As a mom, nobody knows unless they lost a child themselves how you feel. It never goes away, never," said Donna Keefer, Donald's mother.
According to court records from the state attorney's office, the defendant was the driver of a vehicle that struck and killed two victims and caused serious bodily injury to another victim.
The defendant contacted law enforcement after seeing a news article on the crash and reported that he believes he was involved in that crash based on when and where it occurred and stated that he believed he had hit an animal. Court records said he made no incriminating statements that he knew the crash involved human beings.
Court records said, "The State is unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant left the scene of a crash that he knew or should have known involved a person."
Records also state the physical evidence on scene does not support a conviction in this case. According to records, the Traffic Homicide Investigator noted in his report that the area of the collision was not apparent based on the physical evidence. He noted that he observed vehicle pieces in the roadway and grass shoulder, and paint chips in the roadway and grass shoulder.
Records also stated that video evidence in this case shows the victims walking down the road and the defendant driving down the road shortly before the area of impact. There is no evidence of the defendant driving erratically in that video.
According to court documents, multiple officers agreed that the damage to the defendant's truck was inconsistent with striking a single human. An investigator also agreed in his deposition that it would be reasonable for a driver to not know what they hit when something is in their lane of travel.
Court documents also stated that a surviving victim had been uncooperative with authorities and never appeared for a deposition in this case.
Family of the victims wanted a jury to decide that driver's fate.
"It's horrible. It's an injustice. I don't see how somebody can run down two people, drive away, don't render any aid, don't call the police for two days, and be able to walk," said Deborah Balthaser, Donald's sister.
The attorney who represented the driver said his client believed an animal collided with his truck, and he stopped after the collision, and nothing indicated people were involved. "The State Attorney's Office made the right ethical and legal decision in dismissing this case," said Stephen Romie, attorney.
