Palm Coast’s Danville I. Tardiel, 64, Retired Nurse, Teacher and Poet, Killed in Collision as He Was on Foot on I-95

Danville Israel Tardiel, a 64-year-old resident of South Coopers Hawkway in Palm Coast, was killed Thursday night on I-95 when an SUV struck him. He was on foot. The circumstances of the fatal crash are not clear.

Tardiel, originally from New York, was a retired teacher and nurse who wrote poetry and published a book, “Rhymes to Rhythms,” published last year through Esquire Publications. “When he is not helping others, he is a writer and lover of the art of poetry,” the book blurb states. “Danville wishes to share his talent with the world in his heartfelt expressions of Rhymes to Rhythms.”




Tardiel was on foot on the southbound side of I-95 at mile marker 287 at the time of the collision, reported by the woman who struck him with her SUV shortly after 9 p.m. The woman was not hurt. The crash caused the front end of the vehicle to shatter and Tardiel’s belongings, including a firearm, to scatter. Authorities initially shut down the southbound lanes at Palm Coast Parkway, then opened one lane before reopening the road fully at half past midnight.

Next-of-kin notification was made to Tardiel’s wife, also a teacher, later that night. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office was first at the scene, with units from Flagler County Fire Rescue and the Palm Coast Fire Department responding. A firefighter paramedic pronounced Danville Israel Tardiel deceased at the scene minutes after the crash. The Florida Highway Patrol took over the investigation, which is ongoing. As of shortly after noon Friday, FHP had inexplicably released no information about the crash–or that it had even taken place–even though it issued three notices of serious crashes on I-4, in Duval County and in Osceola County since then.




Tardiel’s is the second pedestrian fatality on Flagler roads in less than 10 days., A 15-year-old girl–an exchange student from Germany--was killed in Flagler Beach last week, near Gamble Rogers State Recreation Area, on State Road A1A.

Tardiel had lived in the county at least since 2016, The book. According to his 90-page book’s Amazon blurb, the collection of poems “takes you on a ride of diverse art in the form of explosive poetry that will guide you to full euphoria. Relax and meditate on this lyrical poetry so exquisitely expressed by a skilled and talented author.” Next Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of the book’s publication.