Michael Vahey pleads guilty in crash that killed Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Dr. Barbara Friedes
The driver accused of striking and killing Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Dr. Barbara Friedes in 2024 has pleaded guilty, according to court records.
Michael Vahey, 69, pleaded to charges of vehicular homicide, driving under the influence and involuntary manslaughter, among other offenses, a docket in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County shows.
Friedes, 30, was a chief resident at CHOP, one of the top children's hospitals in the country. Police said she was riding her bike in the bike lane on Spruce Street headed westbound on July 17, 2024, when a man — later identified as Vahey — struck her with his vehicle.
The court docket says Vahey's sentencing is set for July 22.
"Michael Vahey's guilty plea to Third Degree Murder and numerous other charges in the shocking, senseless, and tragic death of Dr. Barbara Friedes is a reminder to us all never to drive under the influence and never to drive in a bike lane. Never," Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a statement.
Friedes' death spurred advocacy for better protections for cyclists in the city. Organizations, including the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, said Spruce Street is a popular biking corridor that needs concrete barriers to protect cyclists.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
