California State News by Evan Green
A California Grandmother was killed while using the popular rideshare company Lyft.
The driver has been charged with manslaughter for allegedly falling asleep behind the wheel then crashing into a light pole.
Officers from the Tustin Police Department responded to the crash at about 7 a.m. Margie Quibol, 70, died as a result of traumatic injuries after the vehicle was struck.
A press release from the local police said:
"The Tustin Police Department responded to the area of Jamboree Road and Patriot Way regarding a major, solo vehicle traffic collision. During the preliminary investigation, it was determined the involved driver, a LYFT driver, fell asleep behind the wheel while transporting a customer. The vehicle struck a light pole and caused traumatic injuries to the passenger ultimately resulting in death.
After an extensive investigation by the Tustin Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team, it was determined the driver, 30-year-old Andy Van Pham was driving with negligence resulting in the death of the victim.
After conducting surveillance, Pham was arrested without incident and booked into Orange County Jail for Vehicular Manslaughter with Ordinary Negligence."
Appearing in California court, he pleaded not guilty to the charges of manslaughter and possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as false information to a police officer. His bail was set at $50,000.
It was reported that Lyft cooperated with authorities after terminating Pham from the company.
In a report compiled from Pew Research and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "the introduction of ridesharing is at least partially responsible for a 3% annual increase in U.S. fatal accidents since 2010. The 3% increase attributed to ridesharing has resulted in 987 additional deaths each year."
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