A 42-year-old man accused of killing two Indiana University students in a hit-and-run crash on Miami Beach received a $1 million bond during his court appearance Friday morning. Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer set the bond for Adan Negron-Morris, telling the court he poses a great danger to the community. The fatal crash occurred Wednesday night at 73rd Street and Collins Avenue on North Beach just after 9:05 p.m.
Sarisa Kongduang, 22, and Greatgomon Laowatdhanasapya, 23, were crossing Collins Avenue when Negron-Morris struck them while speeding with no headlights on, according to Miami Beach Police Department officials. Both victims were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead. “The justification given by the driver was he wanted to kill himself - so he closed his eyes and accelerated,” said Officer Christopher Bess, an MBPD spokesperson. “Unfortunately, he didn’t kill himself - he killed two innocent people.”
After the collision, Negron-Morris continued driving until his car broke down, then fled into a nearby Walgreens store. A witness chased after him and detained him before officers arrived at the scene. Police believe Negron-Morris may have been under the influence of drugs, though toxicology results remained pending as of Friday. Court records revealed that Negron-Morris has a Lakeland address and a prior criminal history in Polk County, but has been living in South Florida for the past two months.
Kongduang was a business student at Indiana University Bloomington, while Laowatdhanasapya was a recent graduate of the school, according to multiple social media profiles. A LinkedIn profile identifies Kongduang, originally from Thailand, as the president of the Association of Thai Students in the United States of America. Both victims were described as Midwestern tourists visiting Miami Beach when the fatal crash occurred.
If Negron-Morris manages to post his seven-figure bond, he will be subject to total lockdown house arrest. The court also prohibited him from drinking alcohol or driving any vehicle as conditions of his potential release. The case highlights ongoing safety concerns on Collins Avenue, a major thoroughfare that sees heavy pedestrian traffic from tourists visiting Miami Beach’s entertainment district.