ROCK HILL, S.C.,None — Ronald Moore, known as Aaron, would often walk over to his girlfriend's house after school. On Tuesday morning, the 14-year-old decided to visit her before school, but never made it.
"He was a really great person," said his girlfriend, 15-year-old Crystal Olivo. Through tears, she told Eyewitness News that she asked Moore not to come over because she was about to get on the school bus. Olivo is an eighth-grader at Sullivan Middle School in Rock Hill.
VIDEO: 14-Year-Old Pedestrian Hit, Killed In Rock Hill
Police said Moore, who was also in eighth grade at Sullivan Middle, tried to walk across Mount Gallant Road about a hundred yards from its intersection with Cherry Road. He was struck and killed by a 29-year-old woman driving an SUV. Police said the woman will not be charged.
"The victim was the main contributing factor in the accident," said police spokesman Brad Redfearn.
Steven Leake and Josh Montgomery were the first two people on the scene. They had two flat tires and were fixing them in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store when Leake heard something.
"I heard squealing tires, and a thud sound and some breaking glass, and a saw a kid laying in the road," he said.
Both men ran into the street to try and help the boy.
"We just took off running," Montgomery said. "I mean, that's human instinct, to try and help."
They tried to perform CPR, elevate Moore's legs and tell him to breathe. Moore later died in the emergency room at Piedmont Medical Center.
"My thoughts are with his family," Leake said.
At Sullivan Middle School, grief counselors are helping students deal with the tragedy.
Principal Mike Waiksnis said everyone embraced Moore.
"Just one of those kids where everybody loves him," he said. "A wonderful student."
Moore was an accelerated art student who was in a group that was soon to have some of its paintings displayed around Rock Hill.
"They created artwork and volunteered their time at different local agencies that are in need. So he was very involved in that program," Waiksnis said.
Several parents said they are concerned because students are always crossing the road illegally, away from the designated crosswalks.
"Every day, twice a day. It never stops," said Brian Chase, who has a 14-year-old daughter at Sullivan Middle. "They need to do something. These kids will keep crossing this road, even though this kid was just killed here."
Waiksnis said the school has worked hard this year on safety issues because it is in such a high-traffic area.
"There have been extra signs put up. Speed zones have been changed, the traffic pattern has been completely modified. We have people out there doing all we can to make it as safe as possible," he said.
Moore was not on a marked crosswalk, but in the middle of a busy street, when he was hit.