Faith Stevens and her husband, Fabrice Bere, were riding in the Lyft when the incident unfolded.
SAN ANTONIO — Two passengers who were inside a Lyft vehicle that struck and killed a woman working as a sign spinner say the emotional trauma of the incident will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
The crash occurred the afternoon of March 21 at the intersection of Bandera Road and Quill Drive, where authorities say 35-year-old Darlene Ibarra, a mother of four, was hit and killed while on the job.
Faith Stevens and her husband, Fabrice Bere, were riding in the Lyft when the incident unfolded. Surveillance video from a nearby business shows the SUV exiting a parking lot onto Quill Drive before attempting to turn right onto Bandera Road.
“I remember seeing the red light and seeing a truck coming, and I thought we were going to hit the truck,” Stevens said. “I closed my eyes.”
Moments later, she said, the situation took a devastating turn.
“I was getting prepared just to be in this wreck and then hearing a scream and feeling the rolling underneath the vehicle,” Stevens said. “It was so scary.”
The Lyft vehicle ultimately collided with another SUV before coming to a stop. When Stevens exited the vehicle, she realized the severity of what had happened.
“I saw her legs,” she said. “I turned to my husband and said, ‘Oh my God, she’s under the vehicle.’”
Both Stevens and Bere rushed out to try to help, but said there was little they could do.
“A few people tried to talk to her to get a response. There was nothing,” Bere said. “Her face was in the dirt, and there was nothing we could do.”
Bere said the driver initially attempted to reverse the vehicle before bystanders intervened.
“We all told him, ‘No, don’t reverse,’” Bere said. “People ran over, got a jack, lifted the car and pulled her out.”
Emergency crews arrived shortly after, but Ibarra was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to San Antonio police, the driver told officers he accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake after going off the road. A crash report lists driver inattention and failure to control speed as contributing factors.
Police say no criminal charges are expected at this time.
In a statement, Lyft extended condolences to Ibarra’s family and said the driver has been removed from the platform.
The passengers said they are struggling to process what happened and expressed frustration that no charges are anticipated.
“I do blame myself,” Stevens said. “I’ve never used Lyft before, and it’s just awful. I think about it all the time.”
The crash has deeply affected members of the community. During interviews at the scene, several people stopped to share their grief and offer support for Ibarra’s family.
A GoFundMe has been created to assist Ibarra and the four children she leaves behind. If you would like to help the family you can click here.
Below is the full statement from Lyft.
“This incident is devastating, and our hearts go out to Darlene’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. We have removed the driver from the platform, and are in contact with law enforcement to assist their ongoing investigation.” – Lyft Spokesperson