Montgomery County police have arrested and charged two Silver Spring residents in connection with an April collision that resulted in the death of a pedestrian in Silver Spring, police said Tuesday in a statement.
Thanh Phan, 71, was arrested Nov. 25 while Jose Saravia Gonzalez, 27, was taken into custody on Monday, police said. Both were charged with criminally negligent manslaughter by vehicle, a misdemeanor that carries a conviction of up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000, according to state law.
Phan is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit in Rockville, according to the statement. Gonzalez was also being held pending a bond review Tuesday. MoCo360 couldn’t determine the status of the bond hearing as of Tuesday evening.
Phan’s lawyer didn’t immediately return calls seeking comment Tuesday afternoon. MoCo360 was unable to locate online court records associated with Gonzalez.
The fatal collision occurred at about 10:15 p.m. on April 5 when a white 2023 Honda Odyssey allegedly driven by Phan was traveling westbound on Randolph Road near Kimblewick Drive before it left the roadway and struck a man on a sidewalk, according to police. The collision caused the man to fall in the roadway.
The pedestrian, identified as 52-year-old Ron Franzese of Silver Spring, was then allegedly struck by a white Acura allegedly driven by Gonzalez. According to the statement, Gonzalez allegedly fled the scene without rendering aid to the pedestrian. Meanwhile, the Honda minivan allegedly driven by Phan went back onto the roadway and crossed three travel lanes before colliding with a tree, the statement said. Franzese was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to a GoFundMe organized on behalf of the Franzese family, Ron Franzese was “a loving father, husband, and dedicated colleague at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.” He was known for his “unwavering positivity,” the page said.
