Boy, 9, Riding Bike to School Is Killed by Truck, and Family Is Upset With Driver’s Punishment
A 9-year-old boy was fatally struck by a vehicle driven by a woman who will lose her license for six months — and the victim’s grandfather doesn’t think the punishment was severe enough.
In May, third grader Roman Miller was riding his bike to school with his sister when he was struck while crossing the street, WTSP, ABC7 and Fox13 reports.
The driver, 25-year-old Charity Lamb, told police she had seen Roman’s sister and waved her by at a stop sign but did not see Roman, who was wearing a helmet.
On Thursday Lamb was found guilty of a traffic violation — failure to yield to a pedestrian — and had her license revoked for six months. She was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and attend 12 hours of traffic school.
During Thursday’s hearing, the court heard from Wyatt Ethan Rodgers, who did not witness the incident but rushed to aide Roman after he was struck.
“I pulled over and when I approached Roman, his backpack was pushed up, constricting his airway, so I tried to get it off as soon as possible,” Rodgers said, according to Fox13. “I rolled him over on his side, it seemed he was having trouble breathing, so I did my best.”
Rodgers quickly moved Roman’s bike onto the median as he waited for first responders.
“Then I went back to him and comforted him until EMS arrived,” he told the court.
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Following the hearing, Roman’s grandfather, Terry Miller, told ABC7 he was disappointed in the punishment.
“It should’ve been a few years suspension,” Miller said.
Roman’s mother, Ashley Miller, told Fox13 through tears, “To me, it’s not enough. I know it won’t bring him back, and I’ll never be able to hold him again.”
A family attorney, Karly Christine, told the station the family plans to sue Lamb and the county.
Roman’s grandfather has taken in the boy’s dog after his death, ACB7 reports.
“The hardest part is every once in awhile I’ll see something that reminds me of him and like now I start choking up and I miss him,” he told the station.
A GoFundMe page started to help pay for Roman’s memorial service has raised nearly $20,000 of its $25,000 goal.
PEOPLE’s calls to the 12th Judicial Circuit Court and State Attorney’s Officer were not immediately returned Friday.
