A Lyft driver has been arrested for vehicular manslaughter after allegedly falling asleep while driving and killing his 70-year-old passenger in Southern California.
30-year-old Andy Van Pham was arrested and booked in Orange County, California, earlier this week and is being held on $10,000 bail.
The accident happened around 7 a.m. on April 4 in Tustin, California. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the identity of the 70-year-old victim as Margie Quibol, a resident of Tustin.
Pham allegedly dozed off behind the wheel and lost control of the car, causing the vehicle to slam into a light pole. Quibol was rushed to an area hospital and later died from her injuries, police said.
“After an extensive investigation by the Tustin Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team, it was determined the driver, 30-year-old Andy Van Pham was driving with negligence, resulting in the death of the victim,” a police statement said.
Pham appeared in court on Friday and pled not guilty to the manslaughter charge, as well as charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, providing false information to a police officer, and making an unsafe turn or lane change.
