A 19-year-old Darnestown man, Liam Coskun, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Montgomery County Circuit Court to grossly negligent manslaughter and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in connection with a collision that killed 88-year-old Myrtle Gottlieb and injured another person.
Under the plea agreement, Coskun faces a maximum sentence of 13 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for October 23, 2026.
According to prosecutors, the collision occurred on May 31, 2025, at the intersection of Sam Eig Highway and Fields Road in Gaithersburg. Investigators determined Coskun, who was not licensed to drive and did not have permission to use the vehicle, failed to stop at a red light and struck a stopped Toyota Corolla from behind. Gottlieb, a passenger in the Toyota, died from her injuries on June 4, 2025, while the driver was injured. A breath test administered several hours after the crash showed an alcohol concentration of 0.09, and investigators concluded the collision was avoidable.
