‘The world stops:’ Family grieving after losing 2 sons in 3 months from crashes

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — In the span of 3 months, the Penkacik family has lost two of their kids from car crashes.

“It feels like the world stops and you’re trying to process it, it’s difficult to put into words and it’s a feeling I wouldn’t put on anybody,” Jason Penkacik said.

Jason and Shawnee Penkacik are mourning the loss of their 25-year-old son, Dalton. Police said he was killed in a hit-and-run early Friday morning.

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“I don’t understand how someone could hit and leave our son in the road,” Shawnee said. “Dalton was caring, compassionate, kind, hardworking, a pillar in our family, a great big brother.”

The crash happened on Blanding Blvd near Fender Drive around 1:15 in the morning. The Penkacik said he was walking to amazon where he works and said he walked there often.

His mother Shawnee described the last thing Dalton said to her.

“‘Hey I love you mom, I’ll see you when I get home’ and I don’t get to see him,” she said.

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Dalton’s death comes 3 months to the day their 12-year-old son Brighton was killed in a crash. It happened after police said a dog chased him into the road on Lane Ave South when he was walking to school with his brother.

“When Brighton passed, he (Dalton) was the one that held everything together,” she said. “We’re seeing our kids who came to the term Brighton was gone to now Dalton is gone, and they have thoughts of who is next who are we going to lose next.”

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In Dalton’s case, police believe the person responsible is driving a Volkswagen and the family wants them to come forward.

“This has impacted our family and in a way that’s difficult to recover from but we know we will because we have strong faith and we know God will see us through, but the humanity of it, compassion for people, it feels like nobody had compassion for Dalton,” his mother Shawnee said.

JSO is asking if you have any information regarding the hit-and-run crash, that you contact them or crimestoppers.

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