Permenter facing over 10 years in prisonPublished: November 25, 2019, 10:43 pmA judge sentencing Kelly Permenter to more than 10 years in person for DUI manslaughter for 12-year-old Hunter Cope.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - After a weeklong trial, Kelley Permenter was convicted Friday of DUI manslaughter and two other charges in the death of 12-year-old Hunter Cope. Hunter's family has waited two years for justice. The defense attorney didn't contest that Permenter was impaired, but claimed no driver could have avoided hitting the boy. The jury of four women and two men took less than two hours to find Permenter guilty of the DUI manslaughter charges, as well as DUI with property damage and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage. Hunter's friend, Luke Shepherd, said he's hanging on to the hat Hunter gave him weeks before his death.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - After closing arguments Friday morning, a jury is deliberating the DUI manslaughter charge against a woman charged with DUI manslaughter after hitting and killing a 12-year-old boy. Police said Kelley Permenter hit and killed him as he walked to Mayport Middle School two years ago. On Thursday, the state called its final witness, Associate Medical Examiner Robert Pfalzgraf, who conducted Hunter's autopsy. Permenter's attorney also renewed a motion for a direct acquittal -- asking for the DUI manslaughter charge to be dismissed, saying the state had not met its burden of proof. Both sides will get their final chance to sway the jury Friday when closing arguments begin at 9 a.m. Jury deliberations are expected to start later in the afternoon.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Prosecutors rested their case Thursday in the DUI manslaughter trial of Kelley Permenter, the 37-year-old woman accused of hitting and killing 12-year-old Hunter Cope as he walked to school in 2017. The state's final witness was Associate Medical Examiner Robert Pfalzgraf, who conducted the autopsy of Hunter. Pfalzgraf said the 65-pound boy had dozens of external and internal issues, but a neck injury was the cause of death. After the state rested, Permenters attorney asked the judge to dismiss the DUI manslaughter charge, saying the state had not met the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The defense called several witnesses, including an accident reconstructionist and a Jacksonville police officer before it also rested.

A Jacksonville Sheriff's Office traffic homicide detective said Permenter was driving between 43-52 mph in a 45 mph zone when Hunter was struck while walking to school. The boy was in a crosswalk at the intersection of the Wonderwood Connector and A1A in Atlantic Beach when he was hit by Permenter's SUV, and there was no indication that she hit the brakes. Kelly said Hunter was struck 980 feet away from where Permenter was involved in a hit-and-run crash in the parking lot of A1A Food Store. Prosecutors said if she had stopped to take care of that minor incident, Hunter would likely be alive today. Permenters lawyer conceded that she was driving under the influence but stressed no one could have avoided hitting the boy when he darted out into the road.

Several more witnesses to the crash that killed 12-year-old Hunter Cope testified Wednesday in the DUI manslaughter trial of the driver accused of hitting the boy, as did responders and detectives who... Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

The Atlantic Beach woman is accused of hitting and killing 12-year-old Hunter Cope as he was crossing the street headed to Mayport Middle School in 2017. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Duval County Public Schools is adding two new bus stops in Mayport after a mother told the News4Jax I-TEAM about her daughter's mile-and-a-half walk to school. Lori Culvert's daughter would have had to cross six lanes of traffic to get to Mayport Middle School. The school district told both News4Jax and Culvert that the school district's policy is not to add bus stops within 1.5 miles of a school. A spokesperson for Duval County Public Schools said any Mayport Middle School student in that area can board the bus. The bus drivers assigned to these new stops will be adding them to their existing route.sOne of the new bus stops are right across the street from Culvert's apartment.