KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, Fla. – An 18-year-old man who helped save another teen's life but was hit by a pickup truck Friday morning has died, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
Around 6:30 a.m., the teens were walking toward their bus on Ranchette Road near County Road 214 when they were both struck by a pickup truck driven by a man, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Shane Savoy, 18, a senior at Keystone Heights High School, died Friday afternoon at UF Health in Gainesville. Elin Cornett, 17, a junior at the school, suffered minor injuries and was taken to UF Health in Starke.
Deputies said the students were walking on the edge of the road and the driver did not see them in time to avoid hitting them.
"They were struck by a vehicle heading the same direction," said Lt. Ron Hodges. "From what we gathered from the young lady, the young man pushed her out of the way. She was struck by the vehicle, but he took the brunt of the impact. The driver stayed, and we're still investigating at this point."
Jackie Simpson, Savoy's neighbor, said he was always very observant of his surroundings and mature beyond his years.
"I used to see him and her walk up and down this road, and he would always be on the outside and she on the inside if, God forbid, something like this should arise that he could get her out of the way. And that's exactly what he did," Simpson said.
The driver originally thought he hit a deer, according to the Sheriff's Office. He turned around to check and realized he hit two teens.
Deputies said there are no sidewalks in the area and it's not lit like it would be in a city setting.
"It's very rural out here. The law says if you're going to walk on the road, you need to walk to opposing traffic," Hodges said. "They were walking the same direction vehicles were traveling. It's hard to hear, let alone see, what's coming up beside them."
A woman who lives near the crash scene said the bus stop is very close to the road and it's a concern.
"We're right on the end of this hill, so a lot of people don't realize there's a bus stop there and don't see the kids until they get over the hill and almost hit them. It's really dangerous," said Virginia Baumes.
Nearby County Road 214 near El Dorado Avenue remained closed until about 10:30 a.m. as the scene was investigated and cleared.
The driver is not facing charges at this time.
This has been a tough stretch for Keystone Heights High School. Savoy was the third student at the school to die this year. The previous two were suicides.
Savoy's family told Channel 4 Friday night that they were too broken up about Savoy's death to speak.
"Very tough situation. We already had resources on site because of a recent tragedy, but we've increased those resources and we've sent a team of support to the families effected," said Clay County Schools' Gavin Rollins.