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Victims In Plant City Hit-And-Run ID'd

Tribune photo by KELVIN MA

Maria Carmen Gonzalez is comforted by Anessa Sanchez, the fiance of her son, Jose Manuel Gonzalez, after he was killed.

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By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 17, 2008

Updated: 06/17/2008 07:40 pm

PLANT CITY - Friends and family of two youths run over by a pickup near the Florida Strawberry Festival grounds have identified the victims as 20-year-old Jorge Manuel Gonzalez, who died at the scene, and Sergio Calderon, who his friends said is 16 or 17 years old.

Authorities said Calderon did not suffer serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

Gonzalez's mother, Maria, and his fianceé, Vanessa Sanchez, 25, joined the scores of onlookers gathered near Burchwood Park, near the intersection of County Road 574 and Drake Street. They hugged and sobbed beneath a tree, not far from the white sheet that covered Gonzalez, who was pronounced dead at 4:39 p.m., minutes after the hit and run.

Authorities are looking for a green Ford F-150 pickup that sped away from the scene.

One witness, Edward Grayer, said the truck was driven by a Hispanic man in his late 20s. Grayer said a 12- or 13-year-old child was in the front seat.

"They were both up under the truck," Grayer said of the victims.

Plant City police are trying to unravel conflicting accounts of how the incident occurred.

Stay with TBO.com for the latest developments.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433 or gwilkens@tampatrib.com.

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