Tarpon Springs Man Killed in Crash on U.S. 19

A Tarpon Springs man was killed in a three-vehicle crash that shut down the northbound lanes of U.S. 19 in Clearwater for more than two hours late Sunday afternoon.

Jezreel Lamont Sanders, 20, was ejected from his car and died at the scene of the crash.

Florida Highway Patrol investigators say Sanders was driving a 2003 Honda Accord southbound at a high rate of speed on U.S. 19 when he lost control of the car around 4:51 p.m. It happened just north of Hammock Pine Boulevard in Clearwater.

Sander's car was in the outside lane and rotated counter-clockwise, it then crossed over the grassy median and into the path of a 2007 Ford Van driven by Norman Ertel, 36, of St. Petersburg.

Ertel's van hit the side of Sanders' car, causing Sanders' car to overturn and vault onto the top of a third vehicle, a 1996 Mazda Miata which was driven by Diane Ryan, 49, of Brandon. The Miata was headed in the northbound direction. 

Ertel, Ryan, and her passenger Timothy Ryan 50, were hospitalized with minor injuries.

Investigators say Sanders was not wearing a seatbelt. The other people involved in the accident were wearing seatbelts.

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