Boy, 9, riding bike to school passes away after being hit by truck, troopers say

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The Sarasota community is rallying around a family that lost their 9-year-old son Monday morning as he rode his bike to school.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, just before 8 a.m., a black pick-up truck hit Roman Miller, 9, as he rode through a crosswalk at Nodosa Street and Webber Drive.

The driver, 25-year-old Charity Lamb, told investigators she stopped for the boy's older sister, but she didn't see Roman following close behind.

“I’m just really sorry that this happened to you," said Lamb, when asked if she had anything to say to the family.

Lamb described not being able to see the child from her pickup truck and claimed it was an accident.

"It’s something that shouldn’t happen," said Joshua Morris, a close friend of the Miller family.

Morris describes the 9-year-old, who was just a few days shy of completing third grade, as joyful, and a wonderful big and little brother.

“He was a typical 9-year-old boy, full of life, full of excitement, trying to work and save his money," said Morris, as he remembered talking to the boy a few days ago about him cutting the grass over the summer.

Morris says the Miller family is a hardworking, loving family going through the worst time of their lives.

Brentwood Elementary School will have grief counselors on hand all week to help young students cope with the loss.

Troopers say charges against the driver are pending.