MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — A spring break trip ended in unimaginable tragedy this week after an Indiana University student and a recent alumnus were struck and killed by a motorist who told police he was attempting to take his own life.
The victims have been identified as Sarisa Kongduang, a currently enrolled IU student, and Greatgomon Laowatdhanasapya, a 2024 graduate of the university.
According to the Miami Beach Police Department, the incident occurred Wednesday night near 73rd Street and Collins Avenue. Authorities have arrested 42-year-old Adan Negron-Morris in connection with the fatal crash.
Court documents reveal a harrowing sequence of events. At approximately 9:00 p.m., officers were dispatched following reports of a 2013 Nissan Sentra traveling northbound on Collins Avenue at a “high rate of speed” with its headlights turned off.
Police say Negron-Morris sped through two separate red lights without braking before striking Kongduang and Laowatdhanasapya as they crossed the street. The impact was so severe that both victims were launched into the air, landing several feet away. They were rushed to Jackson Ryder Trauma Center, where they later succumbed to their injuries.
Following the collision, the suspect’s vehicle, which sustained heavy front-end damage and a windshield shattered by the rising hood, continued for another block. Negron-Morris eventually stopped near 74th Street and fled on foot into a nearby Walgreens.
A witness who saw the crash pursued Negron-Morris into the store and alerted arriving officers to his location, leading to his immediate transition into custody.
During police interrogation, Negron-Morris allegedly confessed to a disturbing motive. He told investigators that he suffered from several mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and had taken his girlfriend’s car without permission.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Negron-Morris stated he intended to “take his own life by crashing the vehicle.” He admitted to closing his eyes and flooring the accelerator “hoping to die” just moments before hitting the two young victims.
He currently faces preliminary charges of vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a crash involving death.
Authorities are also investigating whether Negron-Morris was involved in a second hit-and-run reported in the vicinity shortly before the fatal collision.
Negron-Morris is being held without bond as the investigation continues.
The IU Community Mourns
The news has sent shockwaves through the Indiana University community in Bloomington. In a statement, university officials expressed their “deepest condolences” to the families of Kongduang and Laowatdhanasapya, noting that counseling services are being made available to students affected by the loss.
The tragedy highlights a growing concern regarding pedestrian safety in Miami Beach during the high-traffic spring break season. In recent years, city officials have implemented “break-up” measures—including high parking fees and heavy police presence—to curb violence and reckless driving, yet this incident occurred in the North Beach neighborhood, slightly removed from the primary tourist hubs of Ocean Drive.
