MARTIN COUNTY — Christopher Brooks, 18, enjoyed working on cars and appeared headed toward making that part of his future, according to those who knew him.
The Hobe Sound young man worked since October at Zero 6 Customs & Collisions just east of U.S. 1 in Martin County, and had a passion for automotive work, said Bryan Scholz, who owns the business with his wife, Jessica Scholz.
“He was a good kid,” Jessica Scholz said the afternoon of May 21. “He was very smart and he’s good and he was very respectful.”
Brooks died earlier that morning after a car crash on Southwest Pratt Whitney Road at Southwest Bulldog Way just outside South Fork High School where he was a senior, according to Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek and school officials.
Brooks was on his way to graduation practice at the school when he crashed into the back of a dump truck at a traffic signal. Emergency officials began getting calls about 8:30 a.m.
“It did not look like he hit the brakes,” Budensiek said. “Clearly there was some type of a distraction, but we don’t know what that distraction was.”
The graduation ceremony for South Fork High School students was the evening of May 21.
Bryan Scholz said he tries to hire local seniors who enjoy working on cars for a job after school. They can “get their hands dirty and experience working on cars in a real work environment.”
Bryan Scholz said Brooks had gotten a scholarship at a technical automotive school in Jacksonville.
“He was offered a job, too, when he got up there, so he already had a job working in the automotive field and ready to start tech school,” Bryan Scholz said. “He was excited to do that and really learn everything about cars and working on them.”
Budensiek said Brooks’ grandparents are his legal guardians.
Efforts to speak with them May 21 at a home believed to be theirs in Hobe Sound were unsuccessful.
Richard Vicker lives next door. He did not know Brooks well, but said he worked on vehicles and scooters outside with friends.
“He seemed like a nice kid. He didn’t have an attitude,” Vicker said. “He was always nice and cordial to me and my wife.”
Brooks previously attended Hobe Sound Elementary School and Murray Middle School, said Jennifer DeShazo, Martin County School District’s chief of staff and strategic communication.
He was on the bowling team and in a veterinary program.
The Scholzes said their 10-year-old son, Bentley Scholz, was close with Brooks at work.
Bentley said Brooks was funny, and they spoke about 3-D printers while working together.
Jessica Scholz and her husband said they were happy Brooks got the opportunity to continue his education.
Bryan Scholz said Brooks and his friends tinkered with cars, going to junkyards trying to find parts.
At first Brooks was working on taking cars apart, though seemed to be getting a little bored with it, Bryan Scholz said.
He was asked about learning how to prep cars to be painted.
“He was really excited to have that opportunity and doing that, and he just jumped right in there and, I mean, he picked it up in less than a week,” Bryan Scholz said.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: ‘A good kid’; Florida high school senior dies hours before graduation
Reporting by Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
