'You ruined so many lives.' Man sentenced to six years for hitting, killing 4-year-old Holly Springs boy

Owen Schroeder and other children were playing in their Holly Springs neighborhood in Carolina Towne Lane in October 2020.

Carey Moore was driving a truck down the street when he hit and killed Owen. Prosecutors said there were drugs in Moore’s system at the time that affected his reaction time. They also said he had a history of driving while intoxicated in another county.

Moore told police he saw people and chairs in the road, heard a thump then people screaming, prosecutors said.

"I sprinted to the back of the truck and saw that it was Owen. I tried to pull him out from under the truck, but his legs were trapped," said Owen's father Josh Schroeder.

Josh Schroeder said when he was unable to get Owen out from underneath the truck, he called 911 and yelled at Moore to pull forward. Moore told police he was driving 10 miles per hour when the crash happened.

"The children and adults who were there that day are suffering due to the trauma," said Owen's mother Laura Schroeder.

Prosecutors recreated the crash scene, demonstrating how long it took test drivers to react and stop when they saw the people and chairs in the road. In the study, 10 test drivers went 15 miles per hour. The test drivers stopped several feet before impact with the child, prosecutors said.

Moore stopped 25 feet after hitting Owen.

Owen's parents said he was a sweet and compassionate child who lit up the room.

"He was the most kind, caring and happy little boy," said Josh Schroeder.

Moore pled guilty to felony death by motor vehicle for Owen's death. His defense attorney said he had a degenerative back issue from years of working and was taking oxycodone to help with the pain.

"I died that day when you killed Owen. You took my blue-eyed, blonde-haired baby that I had always dreamed of," said Owen's mother Laura Schroeder.

Prior to sentencing, Owen's parents recounted the moment when he was hit by the truck.

"After you ran over Owen, who happened to be crossing well ahead of you, without ever tapping the brakes, I saw the damage you had done, and my child was gone," Laura Schroeder said. "I looked up to see who just killed my son and made eye contact with you again. I anticipated you saying you are sorry because you did not intend to kill my son that day, but I won't accept it."

"You ruined so many lives that night when you killed Owen," said Josh Schroeder.

Moore was sentenced to around six years in prison with time served considered. He did not make a comment in court, but his defense attorney said he was sorry for what happened and was there to take responsibility.