A 49-year-old Ohio father described by relatives as a "hero" has died after police say he was run over while trying to stop a woman from being assaulted at a Hillsboro gas station.
Authorities say the incident happened in the early morning hours of May 31 at a gas station on South High Street in Hillsboro, a city about 60 miles east of Cincinnati.
According to relatives and police affidavits cited by local media, Billy Grooms was at the station with his son when they saw a young woman being strangled, and he stepped in to intervene, according to People.
Investigators allege the suspected attacker then returned to his Ford F-150 pickup and ran Grooms over in the parking lot before fleeing the scene.
Grooms suffered multiple broken bones and a severe brain injury and was rushed to a hospital, where he was placed on life support. He was taken off life support and died on Jun. 4, relatives told FOX19 and other outlets.
Family members said Grooms, a father of three, is expected to donate his organs, and hospital staff planned an honor walk through the hallways to recognize his final act of giving, Hoodline reported.
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The suspect, identified in court records as 22-year-old Javen Meadows, has been charged with strangulation and assault in connection with the attack on the woman, according to affidavits filed in Hillsboro Municipal Court and reported by FOX19.
Police said Meadows allegedly followed his ex-girlfriend to the gas station before the assault, though investigators have not publicly confirmed whether the woman attacked was the ex-girlfriend named in the records.
As of the latest reports, Meadows has not been charged in connection with Grooms' death, but Hillsboro police said additional charges are pending.
The woman who was allegedly assaulted survived the attack and later described Grooms as a "hero" whose actions she believes saved her life. She told FOX19 she will carry that gratitude forever and credited Grooms with stepping in when she needed help most. Police have not released her name publicly, citing privacy concerns in the ongoing case.
Family members and community residents in Hillsboro have expressed shock over Grooms' death and have been posting tributes on social media.
Relatives have remembered him as a devoted father who "stepped in to save a stranger's life," and some have called for tougher charges against the suspect. Local and national outlets, including People, FOX19, and regional TV stations, have been covering the case as police continue their investigation, as per AOL.
