An alleged drunken driver ran down and killed a Castor Gardens man on Roosevelt Boulevard on Aug. 29 after the pedestrian victim pushed his 5-year-old son out of the path of the deadly motorist.
Michael Romano, 43, of the 6900 block of Sylvester St., and his young son were walking across the 12-lane state highway mid-block near Loney Street at about 10:52 p.m., police said, when the southbound 2000 Chevy Impala struck the elder Romano fatally.
Just before the impact, the father shoved the boy “out of the way,” police said. The son, whose name was not released, suffered an injury to his right ear as a result of the shove, but was not struck.
Police said that the car’s driver, Roderick Williams, 22, of the 3000 block of N. 23rd St., failed to stop at the scene and turned westbound on Borbeck Avenue. But an off-duty police officer who witnessed the incident stopped the fleeing vehicle and took the driver into custody.
Paramedics pronounced Romano dead at the scene. His son was treated at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and released.
Police did not disclose Williams’ blood-alcohol level, but court records show that he has a history of drunken driving. Williams pleaded guilty on March 21 to drunken driving and criminal mischief charges related to his arrest last Sept. 11. A judge sentenced him to serve two years probation, pay a $300 fine and attend Alcohol Highway Safety School. His license was not suspended.
Williams agreed to pay the court $35 a month, but he never made a payment, court records show.
Williams is being held in the city’s Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility without bail for violating his probation and on new charges of homicide by vehicle while DUI, involuntary manslaughter, DUI, assault, reckless endangerment and related offenses.
Romano’s death occurred three days after a hit-and-run driver killed another pedestrian on the Boulevard. The unidentified motorist remains at large.
Police identified that victim as Richard Farrell, 41, of the 3200 block of Brighton St. He was crossing the Boulevard at Hartel Street on Aug. 26 at 2:14 a.m. when a northbound Chrysler 300 struck him. Farrell died at the scene.
Accident investigators are unsure of the color of the striking vehicle, but they describe it as a 2004–2010 model with a missing side-view mirror from the driver’s side. It may have damage to the hood, windshield and driver’s side window.
Call police at 215–685–3181 to report information about the Aug. 26 incident. ••
