Plant City is in mourning after a 14-year-old boy was killed Wednesday when a pickup truck struck the bicycle he was riding. Khali Peñón, a freshman at Plant City High School, suffered a traumatic brain injury in the crash near North Wilder Road and Bryce Ravine Avenue and later died at a hospital. The collision remains under investigation.
According to WFLA, deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said emergency crews took Khali to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The sheriff's office has not yet said whether speed or impairment were factors in the crash, and detectives have not publicly identified the driver involved. Investigators say they are still working to piece together exactly what led up to the collision.
Family, teammates mourn
Khali's family, coaches and teammates remembered him as a musician, an athlete and a kid who loved being part of the community. "We just miss our little boy," his mother, Sonia Peñón, told WFLA. His father, Frank Peñón, said he will never see his son's smile again. Relatives described Khali as a violinist who played in school and a member of Plant City Little League and the Plant City Dolphins football team.
Bicyclist safety in context
According to NHTSA, there were 1,166 pedalcyclist fatalities nationwide in 2023, with many deaths occurring in urban areas and a sizable share tied to hit-and-run incidents or conflicts at intersections. Those national patterns highlight the safety gaps drivers and communities face locally as investigators work to understand what happened in Plant City. Traffic safety experts point to better lighting, protected crossings and driver-awareness efforts as key ways to lower risks for young riders.
How to help investigators
Deputies have asked anyone with video or information about the crash to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office through its Tip411 system or the nonemergency line, as outlined on the sheriff's website. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office explains how to submit anonymous tips, including a text-to-tip option and an online form. Officials say the investigation is ongoing and that additional details have not yet been released.
