ATLANTA — A local mother says she wants answers from a ride-sharing company after one of its drivers got into a serious wreck, killing a woman and injuring another person.
A Channel 2 Action News reporter and photographer witnessed the crash along Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard and West Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta Sunday night.
Ayanna Robinson said she learned her son was hurt through a Facebook message.
“It stated that Devonte was at Grady Hospital in the trauma unit,” Robinson told Channel 2’s Audrey Washington.
The message came from a Grady Memorial Hospital nurse after her son told the nurse to let his mother know he was in the trauma unit.
“I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe," Robinson said.
The mother told Washington that her son took an Uber from his job in Marietta to a location in southeast Atlanta Sunday night. It was a pool ride, so the driver stopped to pick up another passenger.
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"It was an older lady and when she got there, he tried to make it comfortable for her so he offered her the backseat,” Robinson said.
Robinson said her son moved to the front passenger seat.
Minutes later, according to Atlanta police, the driver reportedly suffered a health emergency. That’s when investigators say she lost control of the car and crashed into a utility pole.
Both the driver and Robinson’s son suffered minor injuries. The woman in the backseat died.
“This was a very traumatic experience for anybody,” Robinson said.
While her son recovers, Robinson told Washington she has questions. She wants to know if the driver has a history of health issues and if so, why was that person driving for a ride-share company?
“So that nobody else who has medical restrictions are driving for a company and then life is lost,” Robinson said.
An Uber representative sent a statement to Washington that said:
“We are terribly saddened by this tragic incident and our thoughts go out to the family and loved ones of everyone involved.”
Robinson said her son, who was unable to speak or move on Tuesday, is left to deal with both the physical and emotional pain.
“The greatest trauma is thinking about the family of the lady, that somebody died. I mean that has to be traumatic for anybody with a heart,” Robinson said.
Washington contacted Atlanta police on Tuesday. As of right now, they said there are no charges pending against the driver.
"We’ll work with police to provide any information that might be helpful to their investigation," Uber said in their statement.
Cox Media Group
