JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A 12-year-old boy is dead Friday morning after a witness told police the boy and his younger brother were running away from a dog, which led to the 12-year-old boy being hit by a vehicle on Jacksonville's Westside, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
JSO's Lieutenant Nassim Mana says at approximately 7 a.m., the 12-year-old boy and his brother were being chased by the dog, going north in the 2200 block of Lane Avenue South while walking to their bus stop. The mother of the two boys told First Coast News Saturday, the 12-year-old boy is identified as Brighton Penkacik. The mother says the boys had to walk 27 minutes to and from their home to the bus stop.
"The school recently changed the bus stop due to the driver shortage, so they had to walk really far," Brighton's mother told First Coast News.
Mana says eventually, the brother stopped running but, Brighton "continued to run, trying to get away from the dog." He says a Chevrolet Cruze was traveling southbound on Lane Avenue South at the same time, and struck Brighton.
Police say the driver of the Chevrolet Cruze remained on scene and has been cooperating with law enforcement.
Brighton's younger brother was not hurt.
"I came out of my house as the poor driver that accidentally hit him, had exited her car. She's visibly shaken since she didn't see him," witness Elisa Marrero said.
Elisa Marrero says she lives just feet away from where the Brighton was hit and ran over to comfort the boy's younger brother. She says the dog was a beagle.
"He also said that his big brother was scared of dogs and this little Beagle that was chasing them scared his brother. That's why his brother ran out into traffic," Marrero said. "The dog was hit. Everyone was looking for the dog and it was gone."
JSO says the boys were walking towards the school bus stop at the Lane Wiley Senior Center, just a few blocks away.
"My heartbreaks for the family who maybe has no choice but to send their kid to school walking, and then to have a situation like this happens. It's just heartbreaking," parent Mykelti Kenney said.
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded to the scene after the boy was hit and took him to a local hospital where he later died. Mana says no one else was injured or involved in the incident and that they cannot release the younger brother's age "due to Marsy's Law."
JSO says the driver stayed on scene and cooperated with police. It does not appear the driver is at fault or speed was a factor, police say.
People who live along Lane Avenue say they want better safety measures for kids walking to school.
"There needs to be better options. If people are not able to get their kids to school there needs to be a bus pickup. There needs to be options for these children to not be walking on these dangerous roads," Marrero said.
Neighbors say they'd like to see Lane Avenue be turned into a school zone where the speed limit is at 15 mph.
Mana says this incident marks the 126th traffic fatality in Duval County this year.
