Family says teenage son is still traumatized after witnessing deadly DUI crash

A mother whose son witnessed a deadly DUI crash said the memories are so traumatizing, the family had to move.

To the family, the intersection of A1A and Wonderwood will forever be the spot where the boy lost his life.

Ashley Snyder, whose son was friends with Hunter, still visits the marker. Her son was walking to school with Hunter when the crash happened.

“When we pass by here in the morning we’ll, be like, ‘Good morning Hunter, good night Hunter’,” Snyder said. “He relives it every night. He still [will] toss and turn, he still wakes up with sweats, he still wakes up screaming, ‘Stop Hunter.’”

Snyder said at times she feels helpless.

“That’s my child and not to be able to take the hurt away from your child is one of the hardest things in the world,” Snyder said

The woman accused in Hunter’s death, Kelley Permenter, is facing several charges including DUI manslaughter.

On Thursday, Action News Jax played some of the 911 calls from March 6, 2017.

As the case moves forward in court, Snyder believes the only just punishment would be prison time “to see her in prison away from her kids the same way Crystal’s away from hers."

She said the driver not only took a life but also changed the lives of countless other families.

“You destroyed the kids that had to witness that because now these kids have to live in terror every day,” Snyder said

Snyder said her family has gotten very close to Hunter’s family since the crash.

Permenter is scheduled for another court hearing Monday.

Cox Media Group