Librarian Dies After Church Van Runs Over Her, 4 Teens Charged

POLK CITY, FL — A mother and Polk City librarian has died after four teens ran over her with a church van and the Polk County Sheriff's Office said the incident was not an accident. Murder charges have been filed in the death of Suzette Penton. (Video of teens in the van and a fight among them provided by the sheriff's office is at bottom of the article.)

The victim's death elevated charges four teenage suspects face, according to deputies. All four are charged with felonies as adults in the case.

A dispute between Kimberly Stone, 16, and her ex-boyfriend, Hunter Penton, who is the son of the victim, led to the fatal encounter, authorities said Tuesday.

Stone began a relationship with Elijah Stansell, 18. Sheriff Grady Judd said Stone and Hunter Penton had ongoing arguments online and in person. Stone made threats on social media that she would get her new boyfriend, Stansell, to beat up her ex.

On Nov. 9, Stone met up with two of her friends, Hannah Eubank, 14, and Raven Sutton, 16, deputies said.

Stansell asked his father, who is a pastor at Westwood Missionary Baptist Church, if he could borrow a church van, and he was given permission. The four teens parked the van across the street from Hunter Penton's house and waited for his mother, Suzette Penton, to leave, law enforcement officials said.

When Suzette Penton left to go to the store, Stansell, Sutton and Eubank confronted Hunter Penton while Stone stayed inside the van, the sheriff said.

Stansell and Raven are accused of fighting Hunter Penton in the carport. Surveillance footage shows Eubank taking photos and video of the fight. The fight broke up when Suzette Penton returned to the house, and the three teens hurried back to the van.

As Suzette Penton tried to take photographs of the van, Stansell is accused of running over the woman.

"She has tire tracks on her body," Judd said in a news conference, "where he runs totally over her."

Stansell will be charged with murder in Suzette Penton's death, Judd said.

The three juveniles face adult charges of attempted murder and all four suspects face charges of burglary with assault.

In addition to the murder charge, Stansell also faces charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and lewd and lascivious battery on a minor.

"What started out as a bunch of kids who were going up there to be a thug — gonna be a tough person, gonna beat up a guy because he used to date Kimberly — turned into a murder. A murder," Judd said.

Suzette Penton was a well-thought-of librarian and was very active in the community. She died from her injuries on Nov. 25, and leaves behind two sons, authorities said.

A celebration of life for Suzette Penton is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Donald Bronson Community Center in Polk City.

Anyone interested in contributing to funeral arrangements can contact the Kersey Funeral Home in Auburndale at 863-220-7991.

*All names were given permission to the Polk County Sheriff's Office to be used, whereas usually the Marsy's Law prohibits authorities from releasing the names of victims.