HILLSBORO, OH — A 49-year-old Ohio father died after being run over by a pickup truck while trying to stop a man from strangling a woman at a gas station on May 31.
Billy Grooms was removed from life support on June 4 after suffering multiple broken bones and severe brain trauma when 22-year-old Javen Meadows allegedly struck him with a Ford F-150. Meadows faces strangulation and assault charges for the attack on the woman, with additional charges pending in Grooms’ death. The incident has left a Hillsboro community mourning a father of three who family members say died trying to save a stranger’s life.
The confrontation began just after 2:30 a.m. at a Holtfield gas station on South High Street when Meadows allegedly followed his ex-girlfriend to the location and rammed her vehicle, according to court documents filed in Hillsboro Municipal Court. Police say Meadows then grabbed the woman by the throat, strangled her, threw her to the ground and began kicking and punching her. Grooms was at the station with his son when they witnessed the attack. “He went to intervene and asked the boy to let her go, and in turn, the boy jumped in his truck and ran Billy over,” said Angela Osborn, Grooms’ sister-in-law.
After Grooms stepped in to stop the assault and got Meadows off the woman, Meadows allegedly returned to his pickup truck and drove directly at Grooms. “He just went straight towards my husband and hit him and dragged him,” Amy Grooms, Billy’s wife, told local media. The impact left Grooms with multiple fractures and traumatic brain injuries. He was airlifted to a hospital where doctors gave him just a 1% chance of survival, family members said. Despite being placed on life support, his condition deteriorated rapidly over several days. “We were trying for hope,” Amy Grooms said. “If we could try to intervene to stop the swelling, but then within days, he was declining.”
Court records show Meadows fled the gas station after running over Grooms and was later apprehended in the New Market area. The suspect had allegedly taken the woman’s phone during the assault and thrown it before punching her again and returning to his vehicle. Police have not publicly confirmed whether the woman attacked was the same ex-girlfriend Meadows allegedly followed to the station, citing privacy concerns in the ongoing investigation. The woman survived the attack and later described Grooms as a hero whose actions saved her life. “I believe Billy was a hero,” she said in a statement. “I believe his actions saved my life. I’ll carry that gratitude with me forever.”
The tragedy marks another devastating loss for the Grooms family, who had already lost a daughter two years ago and Amy’s mother two months prior to Billy’s death. “It’s been rough. It’s like this dark cloud that’s over us,” Amy Grooms said. The couple had been high school sweethearts, married for 18 years and together for 30. Family members described Billy Grooms as quiet, loyal and compassionate — someone who wasn’t very social but cared deeply about others. “That’s who Billy was,” Amy Grooms said. “He wasn’t a very social person, but the people that knew Billy knew he was compassionate; he cared.” Friends and relatives said he was known for putting others before himself and never hesitating to help someone in need.
Following his death, Grooms donated his organs to at least five people, according to family members. Hospital staff organized an honor walk through the hallways to recognize his final act of giving before the donation procedures. “He has just been that person to save as many people as he can — and he’s going to continue to by these organ donations,” Osborn said. A GoFundMe campaign established to support the Grooms family has raised more than $30,000, reflecting the community impact of his death. Amy Main, a friend of Grooms, remembered him as “a good person, a selfless person” whose loss has deeply affected the Hillsboro community.
Hillsboro police continue investigating the case, with prosecutors reviewing evidence for potential additional charges against Meadows in connection with Grooms’ death. As of this week, Meadows remained in custody facing the strangulation and assault charges, but authorities have indicated more serious charges are expected as the investigation progresses. The case remains active with no timeline provided for when additional charges might be filed.
What a hero. RIP and may God bless you and your family. 🙏🏽🙏🏽