Episode 81 Tim and Kathy Penton: In Remembrance of Mitchell Aaron Penton #11654

"Always come home".

This is the story of a young Dallas Officer who had ambitions of fighting crime, serving the city and starting a new family. Mitchell Penton embraced the Northeast Patrol Division’s fast pace and settled in with several other young officers that became a blue family.  Mitchell loved being a cop….was a loyal son, a devoted father, and husband and everyone in his life looked to the future to travel with him on this journey.

But life being what it is - a series of intersecting lives and incidents, out of anyone's control changed all of that on February 13^th, 2021, on an icy morning in Dallas, Texas. Officer Penton was struck and killed by a drunk driver as he worked an accident scene on North Central Expressway and Walnut Hill.

He left behind an expectant wife, stepson, amazing parents and a brother and sister.

Today we are hearing from his parents, Tim and Kathy, as they give a peek into who Mitchell Penton was as a child, a soccer player, a goofy and fun-loving kid, to his decision to serve as an Officer.

They take us on their own journey from the night of February 13^th, 2021, to the conclusion of a  trial in May of 2023.

 This story is a powerful reminder of the fleeting nature of life and of the importance of cherishing our moments.

It encourages us to live in the present, to appreciate the people and experiences around us, and to make the most of the time we have.

Please welcome the Penton family to the ATO stage.

Critical Incident:

February 13, 2021:

Police Officer Mitchell Penton was struck and killed by a vehicle operated by an intoxicated driver at about 1:45 am.

He was working at the scene of a vehicle collision in the northbound lanes of the North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill Lane. He was securing traffic with the emergency lights from his patrol car when a vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver, traveling at a high rate of speed, hit the back of his patrol car. The collision pushed the patrol car into Officer Penton.

Officer Penton was transported to Baylor University Medical Center when he died from his injuries.

The driver of the vehicle that struck Officer Penton was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter of a police officer and intoxication assault. In 2023, he was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years.