We would like to think that if we had car trouble along the side of the road someone would stop to offer help. Well, a good deed like this turned tragic over the weekend when a 17-year-old Lexington County teen who had stopped to assist another motorist was struck and killed by a passing car.

Officials said that the teen pulled over on Highway 378 just before 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night after another motorist hit a deer. The car accident victim was reportedly helping the other motorist remove the injured deer from the road when he was hit by a Toyota Camry driven by a 20-year-old woman.

The teen, who would have turned 18-years-old the very next day, was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of massive head and body trauma, officials said. The South Carolina Highway Patrol did not indicate if the female driver would be facing charges in its initial report.

The Highway Patrol also did not indicate how fast the driver was going at the time of impact. The 20-year-old was not injured in the collision. No doubt, an investigation will follow to determine if negligence played a role in the accident. If so, a wrongful death lawsuit could result.

This fatal car accident is especially tragic because the teen driver was being a Good Samaritan when he was struck and killed by another car. It's important to remember that the side of the road is an extremely dangerous place to be, especially at night.

It is recommended that people who are involved in accidents or have car trouble stay in their vehicles and call authorities for help, if possible.

Source: The State, "Lexington County teen struck, killed while removing deer from road," John Monk, Feb. 5, 2012