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Death Ruled Vehicular Homicide

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By TODD LESKANIC

tleskanic@tampatrib.com

Published: April 2, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - Justin Tanoff turned his 1991 Honda Civic into a deadly missile by speeding down U.S. 19 on Jan. 19, 2007.

Oknan Ziegler, a 62-year-old retiree, drove her Toyota Corolla into the Civic's path. The resulting collision killed Ziegler.

On Wednesday, a Pasco County jury found Tanoff guilty of vehicular homicide for causing the crash. The 20-year-old will face up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced this year.

"I'm just glad they convicted him," said Ziegler's daughter, Lee Ann Perrone. "Justice was done, but it won't bring my mother back."

Ziegler emigrated from Korea to the United States when she was 19. She worked as a solderer on Long Island before retiring to Boynton Beach. She and her husband, Paul, moved to west Pasco to be with Perrone, her husband and their first child. Perrone was pregnant with the couple's second child when her mother was killed.

Testimony showed that Tanoff was stopped at the traffic light at U.S. 19 and Sunray Drive. When the light turned green, Tanoff made a quick move into the left lane, cutting off a black Honda driven by Aaron Kukla.

Tanoff sped away; Kukla followed and quickly engaged Tanoff in a dangerous race. The cars changed lanes several times as they continued south on U.S. 19, with Tanoff trying to stay in front of Kukla. Both cars were traveling 60 to 80 mph.

Ziegler was pulling her Corolla out of a Salvation Army store parking lot to cross the highway and head north. Tanoff's white Honda struck the Corolla on the driver's side, pushing it into the median. Kukla's car then struck the side of Tanoff's Honda.

The defense contended Ziegler caused the accident by failing to stop at a stop sign as she left the parking lot. Ziegler also was on several prescribed medications that could have affected her judgment, the defense argued.

Kukla, 22, originally was charged with vehicular homicide, but prosecutors amended the charge to reckless driving, a misdemeanor. He pleaded no contest in 2007 and was sentenced to six months of probation.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (727) 815-1084.

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