A 37-year-old woman riding in an Uber was struck and killed by a Hyundai Elantra driven by a 29-year-old intoxicated driver on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
This incident has left me shaken. My mind keeps going back to the image of Chasna Thelemaque stepping out of her moving Uber on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, only to be hit by a drunk driver in the dead of night, early Sunday morning.
The Driver's Actions
Destiny Mendez, 29, of East Flatbush, Brooklyn, was driving a Hyundai Elantra while intoxicated when she struck Thelemaque. Mendez has been charged with vehicular assault, vehicular manslaughter, DWI, and driving while ability impaired.
Uber Passenger Killed by Drunken Driver: Charges Filed Against Mendez
Details are still coming in about the incident, but it's clear that Mendez was driving recklessly while intoxicated when she struck Thelemaque. What I want to know is what kind of Uber driver allows a passenger to exit the vehicle on a highway at 2:30 am? Was there some kind of emergency or did they just let her out?
The investigation is ongoing, but one thing is certain - our justice system needs to do better in holding accountable those who put innocent lives at risk. Mendez's charges are a good start, but we need to see more action taken against drivers who choose to get behind the wheel while impaired.
It's unclear what happened next, as it's still being investigated whether Thelemaque may have fallen or been ejected from the car before being struck by Mendez's vehicle. The driver transporting her remained on the scene.
Source: Google News
