Billy Grooms, a father of two, died after intervening in an attack at a Hillsboro gas station. He was run over and dragged by a pickup truck driven by the suspect.
Grooms stepped in on May 31 to stop Javen Meadows from strangling his ex-girlfriend at the Holtfield gas station on South High Street. Meadows, 22, had rammed the woman's vehicle before grabbing her by the throat and throwing her to the ground. After Grooms pulled Meadows off the woman, the suspect jumped into his Ford F-150 and ran Grooms over. Grooms suffered multiple broken bones and a severe brain injury. He was airlifted to a hospital, placed on life support, and died after his family removed him last week. The ex-girlfriend said in a statement that Grooms was a hero whose actions saved her life. His wife, Amy Grooms, described him as compassionate and noted that he would have stepped in for anybody. Grooms later donated his organs to at least five people.