Tanner Mark Boyer was driving his silver 2020 Hyundai Sonata southward on Interstate 15 in the border town of Mesquite, Nevada, last July when he collided with a black Harley Davidson low-rider motorcycle from behind.
Boyer dialed 911 when the Harley’s female rider was transported to St. George Regional Hospital, 40 miles away in Utah, where she was pronounced dead.
On Wednesday, after reviewing details of his case of vehicular manslaughter, I contacted Boyer to inquire if he was aware that the victim, Rebecca Lynn Taylor, served as chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party.
Boyer, 25, was unaware of this fact.
When asked about taking the life of a local political figure recognized as Becca, he responded,
“No matter what someone’s profession or interests may be, every life holds value,” he shared.
Eight months following the incident — and six weeks after Boyer was sentenced for his plea of no contest, receiving no jail time — the information regarding Taylor’s tragic accident has become public knowledge.
Ironically, information regarding the early morning crash on July 16 was released in a media statement on July 23 by the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol.
“The motorcycle rider, Rebecca Lynn Taylor, a 41-year-old woman from San Diego, California, succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at a local area hospital,” the report stated.
“The investigation is being carried out by the Nevada State Police Highway Patrol — Southern Command M.I.R.T (Multidisciplinary Investigation & Reconstruction Team).”
No local news outlet in Nevada recognized that this Taylor was a prominent leader among San Diego Democrats, and no San Diego news source was informed about the Nevada crash — even after being told it occurred somewhere in Utah as she returned home from a trip.
Typical of the Nevada reporting was this television report from 81 miles southwest of Mesquite:
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) — A 41-year-old woman has died following a motorcycle accident in Mesquite along Interstate 15.
Troopers responded to the crash at approximately 2:41 a.m. on southbound I-15 near mile marker 123, close to the Arizona-Nevada state line.
Authorities stated that a gray 2020 Hyundai Sonata was driving southbound on I-15 behind a black Harley Davidson low-rider motorcycle. The Hyundai’s driver failed to decelerate and collided with the Harley from behind, causing the rider to be ejected and the motorcycle to leave the roadway.
The motorcycle came to a stop in the center median while the Hyundai rotated and exited the roadway as well.
In an 8-minute conversation, Boyer insisted he was not driving distracted as court records suggest. He noted he was driving 5 miles over the 70 mph speed limit and, at 2:30 a.m., faced poor visibility. He affirmed he was not under the influence of alcohol.
However, as part of his sentencing, Boyer consented to create a YouTube video addressing the dangers of distracted driving.
“I haven’t made much progress on it yet,” he mentioned about the video, “but I have a lot of ideas in mind.”
Boyer, who works as an electrician in St. George, Utah, has already compensated $2,269 in restitution to Tim Cook, Taylor’s father. (Her parents are divorced.)
If Boyer completes the YouTube video prior to a status hearing in Mesquite Municipal Court on April 1, his community service requirement will be reduced from 200 hours to 100 hours, as stated in court documents.
Boyer has started his community service at a thrift store in St. George, a city with a population of 110,000.
“I’m assisting in the back — organizing items, tidying up the store,” he explained.
Boyer, a graduate of Dixie High School where he played tennis as a teenager, previously received two speeding tickets in 2016 (at age 17) and another in 2019. He was also cited in 2018 for failing to provide a child restraint for a child under the age of 8.
He had legal representation in the Mesquite case but opted not to go to trial after pleading no contest. His sentencing took place on February 4 before Judge Ryan Toone in Mesquite court.
San Diego County Democratic officials have not responded to requests for comment.
However, local Democratic activist Laurie Black stated via email: “I’m shocked that someone can collide with another person AND TAKE HER LIFE, yet face no significant consequences. Becca Taylor was a vibrant and influential public servant whose life was unjustly taken. She deserves far more than this. It’s unbelievable.”
