November 6, 2024

Fort Myers convicted of reckless driving in 2021 fatal crash sentenced to 2 months

Myers #Myers

A Fort Myers man convicted following a fatal June 2021 crash will serve two months in jail, a judge ruled this week.

Court records indicate that Lee Circuit Judge Frank Porter on Wednesday sentenced James Alan Tilney, Jr., 55, for the June 1, 2021, crash.

Fort Myers Police in September 2021 arrested Tilney, who initially faced charges of negligent manslaughter and hit-and-run, failing to remain at the scene or render aid, in the death of Alexander Marin Colon, 30, of Lehigh Acres.

He was sentenced on one count of reckless driving. A jury on Wednesday acquitted him of leaving the scene of a crash involving death.

Cars driven by the pair collided about 4:30 p.m. June 1 in the 11900 block of State Road 82 in Fort Myers.

A 911 call noted Colon wasn’t breathing, not awake and was trapped inside his vehicle due to the “extensive damage.”

Authorities determined Colon died minutes after the crash.

The report indicates Tilney called the Lee County Sheriff’s Office saying he was involved in a road rage incident after he saw the hit-and-run crash broadcast on TV.

Tilney said he never touched Colon’s car, according to the report. The report also notes Tilney was driving a pickup registered to his employer.

The Medical Examiner’s office determined Colon’s cause of death was from blunt-force trauma to the head and neck suffered at the crash.

The State Attorney’s Office declined comment.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Fort Myers man convicted of reckless driving in 2021 deadly crash

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