Tanner Dashner’s dad asks family members to ‘be ready to forgive Tanner and me,’ all through son’s sentencing hearing

FORT PIERCE — In psychological testimony Monday, the father of Tanner Dashner said his son understood ideal from mistaken and identified as what happened “a awful mistake.”

“I pray that the households concerned will be capable to forgive Tanner and me for a thing that was unforeseen,” Dashner’s father, Bradley Dashner reported. “He does not have an angry bone in his human body.”

The elder Dashner spoke in Senior Circuit Judge Robert Makemson’s courtroom in the St. Lucie County courthouse as component of sentencing proceedings for his son, who’s been adjudicated responsible and jailed on a host of expenses in relationship with a 2018 fiery crash that left 5 dead.

Florida Freeway Patrol investigators have claimed Tanner Dashner, now 24, had a blood-liquor written content of .274 %, extra than triple the legal restrict of .08.

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“I won’t be able to even simply call it an accident. It really is not an accident. It is really a tragedy,” Bradley Dashner reported in the crowded courtroom. “We generally prided ourselves on possessing Tanner be accountable for his actions.”

Tanner Dashner, then 21, was driving Nov. 23, 2018, an estimated 97 mph in a 30 mph zone south on South 25th Road when his activity utility automobile slammed into the back of a 2002 Dodge Dakota at Halfway Street.

The Dodge, pushed by Kedan Tillett, 27, of Fort Pierce, and a 2003 BMW in entrance of it experienced been stopped at the pink mild at Halfway Street.

Dashner did not sluggish down as the Dodge and BMW commenced to accelerate from a end just after the pink light turned environmentally friendly.

Dashner’s GMC strike the Dodge, which then crashed into the BMW. The GMC struck the Dodge a next time. The Dodge’s gasoline tank “was compromised and ignited into a fireplace,” a report states.

Tillett, and 4 travellers — Alexis Chaney, 17 Anthony Victor, 21 Anthony Martin, 16, all of Fort Pierce and Darien Douglas, 21, of Port St. Lucie — all died as the pickup caught hearth. A sixth man or woman in the Dodge, then 14-12 months-outdated Ari’yonnia Stanberry, of Stuart, was pulled out of the truck by a bystander.

Tale proceeds

Dashner’s fees included five counts every of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide, however defense attorney Ashley Minton Monday argued in opposition to the five vehicular murder counts.

Around objections from Assistant Condition Lawyer Brandon White, Makemson agreed and the 5 vehicular murder fees have been struck.

Minton read through quite a few letters from associates and relations of Tanner Dashner, like from his mother, praising his character and character.

Below questioning from White, Bradley Dashner reported his son wasn’t beaten or molested as a child and experienced benefits due to the fact he and his wife provided for him. He was an attained saxophone player with mates, and experienced no disciplinary problems at school. Bradley Dashner claimed his son was lifted to be a legislation abiding citizen.

“He’s not some drooling imbecile who will not know what’s going on, suitable?” White questioned.

“No,” Bradley Dashner replied.

“He is familiar with ideal from erroneous?” White asked.

“Yes,” Bradley Dashner replied.

In Dashner’s motor vehicle, investigators discovered a bottle of rum that was about a quarter entire, and an vacant bottle of whiskey.

Investigators discovered that before the crash Dashner entered On the Edge Bar & Grill. Dashner was accompanied by two other individuals and they sat at a desk, information demonstrate. Not prolonged right after that, two others joined them.

Defense witness Dr. Joseph Wu, speaking through movie conference from California, reported reviewing scans and acquiring potential proof of traumatic brain injuries and Asperger’s Syndrome in Tanner Dashner.

White invested significant time attacking factors of Wu’s testimony, and pointed out that 100 p.c of his testimony in the past has been for the defense.

In reaction to queries from White, Wu said he didn’t communicate with Tanner Dashner or his mom or father or good friends or evaluation previously health-related records about Dashner’s noted earlier injuries.

Wu, beneath questioning from Minton, reported he was retained for a restricted goal.

Will Greenlee is a breaking information reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on Twitter @OffTheBeatTweet or get to him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com

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This post originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Tanner Dashner sentencing in crash that killed 5 carries on Monday