Restaurant Owner Dies Trying To Help Employee

UPDATE: NBC 4 uncovers new accident details after a local restaurant owner is killed while trying to help an employee.

By: Donna Willis | NBC4i.com
Published: February 17, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A disabled vehicle on a dark roadway led to a fatal accident late Monday.

NBC 4's Tom Brockman reported with the FAST FACTS.

The accident happened on Lane Avenue, just west of Kenny Road and in front of Half Price Books, around 10:45 p.m. Monday.

Two men were pushing Ramirez' disabled vehicle westbound on Lane Avenue, according to CPD.

Officers said the men were trying to start the vehicle's manual transmission by pushing it from a parking lot on to Lane Avenue.

Frank Tran, 50, was pushing the vehicle, and Bruce Ramirez was steering the vehicle.

Both men were wearing dark-colored clothing. The vehicle lights, including emergency flashers, weren't working on Ramirez' Mitsubishi.

By the time the driver saw the two, it was too late.

"The lighting was terrible. The individuals were not wearing reflective clothing. They were wearing dark clothing. They're pushing a vehicle that has no working lights onto a road, a highly traveled road," CPD Sergeant Rich Weiner said.

The men were hit by an oncoming Acura TL in front of Tran's restaurant, Pho Asian Noodle House and Grill.

Tran was killed in the accident, and Ramirez was transported to OSU Medical Center in critical but stable condition, officers said.

The driver of the Acura was transported to Riverside Methodist Hospital.

Those who work near the accident site said Tran was a hard-working man and just opened the restaurant a month or so ago.

"Makes you think. Makes you wonder," Tran's friend Cindi Easterling said.

Easterling said Tran, a father of three, was a regular customer at the Subway restaurant that's next to Tran's own restaurant.

"They're super nice people -- always got a smile, always got a greeting," Easterling said.

Police said alcohol was not suspected to be a factor in the crash and charges were not pending currently.

CPD has not released the identity of the Acura driver.

CPD continued to investigate.

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