For the second time in less than two months, tragedy shook students at Rock Hill High School on Wednesday after the death of a classmate involved in a head-on collision earlier this week.
Kimberly Susan Hobbs, 16, of 1001 Neely Store Road died Wednesday morning at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Hobbs was riding in a car Tuesday afternoon that was hit head on by a man authorities say was driving under the influence of alcohol.
"This is going to be devastating to the students and staff at Rock Hill High School, especially since they just lost another student in early October," said Elaine Baker, school district spokeswoman.
On Oct. 7, 17-year-old Lindsay Rebecca Craven died when her car ran off the road and overturned several times.
Also injured in Tuesday's wreck was 16-year-old Amanda Trader, who was driving the car Hobbs was riding in. Trader was listed in good condition on Wednesday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
On Tuesday, schools Superintendent Lynn Moody visited with the families of Hobbs and Trader.
"It's heart wrenching," Moody said Wednesday. "Certainly, our hearts go out to them."
Around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Trader was driving a four-door 1992 Mazda north on Neely Store Road about 2 miles north of Lesslie and near the high school. William Clifford Brown 49, of 3456 Passmore Road was traveling south in a 1995 Isuzu sport utility van that pulled a utility trailer, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol. When Brown drove left of center, Trader attempted to swerve left to avoid contact.
Brown swerved back into his proper lane and struck Trader's car head on, officials said.
Trader and Hobbs wore seat belts. However, Brown and his passenger, David Stacks, 42, of 4872 Lockout Road in McConnells, did not.
Brown and Stacks were not injured in the wreck.
Brown was arrested and charged with two counts of felony DUI. Officials changed the charges to include one count of felony DUI death. Brown, whose bond was set at $100,275, remained in custody Wednesday evening at Moss Justice Center in York.
Earlier Wednesday, stunned Rock Hill High students and staff learned about Hobbs' death.
"She was a good person, a great leader and teacher," said Portia Stokes, who taught Hobbs Algebra II and coached her on the varsity cheerleading squad. "She knew when to be a leader and when to be an follower. She will be missed."
Stokes last saw Hobbs in a morning algebra class. "She was a well-rounded kid," she said. "All the kids liked her."
Stokes said Hobbs was good at math.
"She had an 'A' average," Stokes said. "If I was helping a student, I could depend on Kim to help another student and know that the information she was giving would be accurate."
Stokes recalled a time when a cheerleader was down. Hobbs came to the rescue.
"I don't know what she (Hobbs) whispered in her ear, but she was smiling when they separated," Stokes said. "She always had a kind heart."
Hobbs, also known for her sometimes soft-spoken manner, had a passion for children.
"She was always good with the kids, even when we did the YMCA cheer camp," Stokes said. "She was all the time talking about her little sister and her cheerleader team."
As students walked the halls Wednesday, some gained another lesson in life.
"They're young and some think nothing can happen to them," Stokes said.
But the absence of Craven and Hobbs brings realization.
"They're realizing life is short," Stokes said. "Death has no age."
