DEWEY BEACH, DE – A Lyft Driver is being investigated after terminating a ride and running over one of his customers in Dewey Beach, the Delaware State Police said tonight.
The incident happened at around 1:44 am on Sunday morning on southbound Coastal Highway (Route 1) in the area of Anchors Way, Dewey Beach, DE.
According to police, the victim and five of his friends hired a “Lyft” driver to pick them up in Dewey Beach and transport them back to their residence in Bethany Beach.
“As the group was traveling southbound on Coastal Highway all in the same vehicle, a disagreement occurred between the group and the Lyft operator. The Lyft operator terminated the ride and stopped in the middle of the southbound left lane and demanded all six passengers exit the vehicle,” police said. “t this time, a 2016 Toyota Corolla, operated by a 27-year-old male was traveling southbound on Coastal Highway in the left lane approaching the stopped Lyft vehicle (possibly a white Honda Pilot). As the operator changed lanes to avoid striking the rear of the Lyft vehicle, he failed to see the pedestrian who had just exited the right rear passenger seat and was standing in the roadway.”
Police said the left front of Corolla struck the pedestrian.
“After impact, the Corolla immediately pulled over on the southbound shoulder and came to a controlled stop. The Lyft vehicle fled southbound on Coastal Highway immediately after the crash,” police reported.
The 43-year-old male pedestrian victim of Clarksburg, MD was pronounced deceased at the scene. Identification of the victim is pending notification to the next of kin.
The other 5 passengers were not injured after exiting the Lyft vehicle. The operator or the Lyft vehicle has not been identified yet and remains under investigation