Woman dropped off on side of I-25 by rideshare driver killed in hit-and-run: 'something that a normal human being just doesn't do'
Questions remain about the fatal pedestrian crash on Interstate 25 that happened after midnight New Year's Day.
Thornton Police say a woman was dropped off on the side of Northbound I-25 near the 470 interchange by a rideshare driver. She then walked into the roadway, and was hit by two cars and killed. One of the cars did not stop.
Monday, Police arrested 33-year-old Adam Wooley of Frederick and charged him with hit-and-run involving death. Wooley turned himself in as the driver of the dark pickup truck that sideswiped the woman and did not stop.
However, on social media, many are focusing their anger on the rideshare driver. Thornton Police now say the woman was traveling in the rideshare with friends when she got sick in the car. Police say the rideshare driver pulled over on I-25, and the occupants terminated the ride. It was initially reported that the driver was the one who terminated the ride. It now appears multiple passengers were left on the side of the road.
"Lots of questions," said Jonathon Douglas, an attorney with Denver Personal Injury Lawyers. "It appears that this woman was left on the side of the road, and not just the road, I-25. That's pretty shocking."
Thornton police have said the rideshare driver has no criminal liability in the woman's death, but Douglas says civil liability should be explored.
"Was it proper or was it negligent that this driver left their rider on the side of I-25?" Douglas asked. He says it's too early to say whether this woman's family may have a case against the driver.
"We're not quite sure exactly what happened in that rideshare, but we've got a scenario where it needs to be investigated," said Douglas.
"Whether or not this is criminal by this driver, it's just something that a normal human being just doesn't do," said veteran Uber driver Michael McManus, a Dillon-based driver with 17,000 trips under his belt.
"There may be more to it than we know, but my experience says we gotta care, we have somebody's life in our hands," McManus said.
He says there are other avenues the driver could have taken, like refusing the ride if the passenger appeared intoxicated, charging her a fee for cleaning his car, and exiting the highway before dropping her off.
"Uber tells you if you feel unsafe you can drop the passenger off, but I don't believe they tell you you can do so on the side of a busy interstate," McManus said.
Thornton police say the rideshare driver was contacted and cooperated fully.
