The Montgomery County Police Department has charged a 19-year-old Silver Spring resident in connection with a fatal collision that occurred in January.
Police said Zaher Qais, 19, of Silver Spring, has been charged following a collision that took place on January 14, 2026. At approximately 11:19 am, officers from MCPD’s 3rd District and crews from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services responded to the intersection of Lockwood Drive and Northwest Drive for reports of a two-vehicle crash.
According to the department’s Collision Reconstruction Unit, a white 2017 Lexus traveling southbound on Lockwood Drive crossed a double yellow line in an attempt to pass a stopped bus and entered the intersection, where it struck a black 2025 Toyota. Investigators said the Toyota then lost control, left the roadway, and crashed into a wooden utility pole.
Fifteen-year-old Tayeba Rezaie of Pasadena, Maryland, died from injuries sustained in the crash. Following the investigation, police determined that Qais was at fault and charged him with negligent manslaughter by vehicle and other related traffic offenses.
