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Second child dies from injuries sustained in Labor Day weekend crash in Sunol

Family seeks answers as investigation continues into Highway 84 wreck that killed young siblings

A second child has died as a result of a collision that had already claimed the life of her older brother on Highway 84 in Sunol on Labor Day weekend, succumbing to her serious injuries after more than two months in an area hospital, the Weekly has learned.

Honesty Jenkins, 6, of Fremont was pronounced dead at Children's Hospital in Oakland on Nov. 14, according to her family and local authorities.

(Courtesy of CHP)

Her older brother Damarion Jenkins, 11, died on the morning of the crash that caused major injuries to all parties in the two vehicles involved, including the siblings' mother and 8-year-old brother -- who both ultimately survived.

"This is a loss. … All of us, it's just a lot. We're such a tight-knit family," the siblings' grandmother, Valerie Perkins, told the Weekly.

"We just miss her so much," Perkins said about Honesty.

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The three young siblings and their mother were on their way from Fremont to Perkins' home in San Joaquin County on the morning of Sept. 5 to attend church as a family and then the kids were to spend time with grandma while mom had an outing, according to Perkins.

But they would not make it. At about 6:05 a.m. on Highway 84 just east of the Interstate 680 interchange, the family's Dodge Charger was struck by an oncoming Chevrolet Tahoe, which for unknown reasons turned left from the westbound lane into their eastbound lane, according to Perkins and the California Highway Patrol.

All five people among the two vehicles sustained serious injuries in the violent head-on collision.

Damarion Jenkins was pronounced dead later that morning.

Honesty Jenkins suffered a broken neck and other major physical and neurological injuries. She remained in the hospital the entire time after the crash, and though she did regain consciousness, the injuries proved too critical, according to Perkins. "She broke her neck and things just started failing from that point," the grandmother recalled.

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The 6-year-old died in the hospital on Nov. 14 -- 10 weeks to the day after the collision.

The Jenkinses' mother sustained multiple broken bones and underwent surgeries as a result of the crash but is now recovering out of the hospital, Perkins said. The middle child, who is 8 years old, was also injured but "is recovering really well" physically after time in the hospital, according to his grandmother.

The driver of the Tahoe – who has not been identified publicly to date – also sustained major injuries in the Sept. 5 crash. He has been in the grief-stricken family's thoughts too, according to Perkins.

"We're praying for the guy who hit them. We pray for his family because for everybody involved, it was horrible," Perkins said.

Officer Tyler Hahn of the CHP-Dublin office said he had no new information on the status of the other driver. The officer said the collision remains under investigation, but there were no new details to share publicly on Tuesday with the case still pending.

The CHP initially reported that officers did not suspect alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.

A lack of updates from law enforcement and insurance investigators has been a source of frustration for the family, who are searching for answers about why the other driver crossed into their lane at highway speed that morning, according to Perkins. She said they were told the CHP investigation could take six months.

"We don't know what's going on with where they are with their investigation. It's kind of frustrating," Perkins said.

Anyone who may have information about the Sept. 5 crash can contact the CHP-Dublin at 925-828-0466. That violent collision on Highway 84 represented the final in a string of five fatal car crashes in a 10-day stretch in the greater Tri-Valley.

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Jeremy Walsh
 
Jeremy Walsh, a Benicia native and American University alum, joined Embarcadero Media in November 2013. After serving as associate editor for the Pleasanton Weekly and DanvilleSanRamon.com, he was promoted to editor of the East Bay Division in February 2017. Read more >>

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Second child dies from injuries sustained in Labor Day weekend crash in Sunol

Family seeks answers as investigation continues into Highway 84 wreck that killed young siblings

by / Pleasanton Weekly

Uploaded: Tue, Dec 7, 2021, 8:11 pm

A second child has died as a result of a collision that had already claimed the life of her older brother on Highway 84 in Sunol on Labor Day weekend, succumbing to her serious injuries after more than two months in an area hospital, the Weekly has learned.

Honesty Jenkins, 6, of Fremont was pronounced dead at Children's Hospital in Oakland on Nov. 14, according to her family and local authorities.

Her older brother Damarion Jenkins, 11, died on the morning of the crash that caused major injuries to all parties in the two vehicles involved, including the siblings' mother and 8-year-old brother -- who both ultimately survived.

"This is a loss. … All of us, it's just a lot. We're such a tight-knit family," the siblings' grandmother, Valerie Perkins, told the Weekly.

"We just miss her so much," Perkins said about Honesty.

The three young siblings and their mother were on their way from Fremont to Perkins' home in San Joaquin County on the morning of Sept. 5 to attend church as a family and then the kids were to spend time with grandma while mom had an outing, according to Perkins.

But they would not make it. At about 6:05 a.m. on Highway 84 just east of the Interstate 680 interchange, the family's Dodge Charger was struck by an oncoming Chevrolet Tahoe, which for unknown reasons turned left from the westbound lane into their eastbound lane, according to Perkins and the California Highway Patrol.

All five people among the two vehicles sustained serious injuries in the violent head-on collision.

Damarion Jenkins was pronounced dead later that morning.

Honesty Jenkins suffered a broken neck and other major physical and neurological injuries. She remained in the hospital the entire time after the crash, and though she did regain consciousness, the injuries proved too critical, according to Perkins. "She broke her neck and things just started failing from that point," the grandmother recalled.

The 6-year-old died in the hospital on Nov. 14 -- 10 weeks to the day after the collision.

The Jenkinses' mother sustained multiple broken bones and underwent surgeries as a result of the crash but is now recovering out of the hospital, Perkins said. The middle child, who is 8 years old, was also injured but "is recovering really well" physically after time in the hospital, according to his grandmother.

The driver of the Tahoe – who has not been identified publicly to date – also sustained major injuries in the Sept. 5 crash. He has been in the grief-stricken family's thoughts too, according to Perkins.

"We're praying for the guy who hit them. We pray for his family because for everybody involved, it was horrible," Perkins said.

Officer Tyler Hahn of the CHP-Dublin office said he had no new information on the status of the other driver. The officer said the collision remains under investigation, but there were no new details to share publicly on Tuesday with the case still pending.

The CHP initially reported that officers did not suspect alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.

A lack of updates from law enforcement and insurance investigators has been a source of frustration for the family, who are searching for answers about why the other driver crossed into their lane at highway speed that morning, according to Perkins. She said they were told the CHP investigation could take six months.

"We don't know what's going on with where they are with their investigation. It's kind of frustrating," Perkins said.

Anyone who may have information about the Sept. 5 crash can contact the CHP-Dublin at 925-828-0466. That violent collision on Highway 84 represented the final in a string of five fatal car crashes in a 10-day stretch in the greater Tri-Valley.

Comments

Rich Buckley
Registered user
Livermore
on Dec 8, 2021 at 9:33 am
Rich Buckley, Livermore
Registered user
on Dec 8, 2021 at 9:33 am

Insurance company underwriters report on a growing average accident rate has been rumored. I used to drive my car and ever so often remind myself that 10% of the drivers are on meds or suffering hangovers, experiencing distracting personal problems.

When I glance at my phone even briefly (1.5 seconds) while driving, nearly half the time my car drifts out of the center of the lane towards the lane's edge.

Will the new lane-centering technologies make us safer drivers? I doubt it. Or is something else going on we should consider as may be reported by insurance underwriters for accident payouts rumored to be growing rapidly?


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