SAVANNAH, GA (July 21, 2008) – WTOC-TV Channel 11 photojournalist and producer Steven Shoob, 58, was struck and killed about 5:30 a.m. EST Monday morning while covering an accident on Interstate 95 near Georgia State Highway 21, the station reports.
Shoob was crossing the highway when he was struck by a passing car and died on the scene, WTOC-TV reported on their Web site. A memo to Raycom staff said that they believe he may have died quickly at the scene, because apparently he was not transported to a hospital for treatment.
The Savannah Morning News is reporting that a police officer at the scene told Shoob that the accident was only a minor incident, and that Shoob was leaving the scene when he was hit.
Police told the newspaper that the journalist, who was wearing a dark jacket and jeans, was running across I-95 when he was hit by an oncoming car. The Savannah News reports that police do not expect any charges to be filed against the car's driver, who was interviewed at the scene, and that the car was inspected and no malfunctions were found.
The photojournalist was a veteran of Savannah news and the overnight shift, working for WTOC-TV for more than two decades. He shot and produced overnight news, and then anchored The News at Daybreak cut-ins Monday through Friday during the station's broadcast of the CBS Early Show.
In 2003 Shoob won the station's first Emmy Award, as well as three Associated Press awards for his news coverage.
Shoob was born and raised in Savannah and was a graduate of Savannah High School. The station says funeral arrangements are pending. He started at the station in 1987 as a weekend producer, reporter, photographer, and assignment editor. In 1989 he was promoted to producer of The News at Daybreak.
In 2000 he was promoted to one of two managing editors' positions at the station, and the station says that many referred to Shoob as "the phantom producer" because he produced overnight news between 10:30 p.m. and daybreak while most of the employees were gone.
Shoob is survived by a daughter, three grandchildren, a brother, sister, and nephew.
