Police say the rideshare driver told them they meant to hit the break, but hit the gas instead while accelerating off the road before hitting the woman.
SAN ANTONIO — A woman working as a sign spinner was struck and killed by an SUV driven by a rideshare driver Saturday afternoon on the city’s northwest side, according to police.
The crash happened shortly after 1 p.m. near the intersection of Bandera Road and Quill Drive, in front of Los Cocos Mexican Restaurant Seafood & frutería, authorities said.
Police said the driver, who was operating for the rideshare company Lyft, told investigators he accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, while accelerating off the road before hitting the woman.
Surveillance video from a nearby business captured the moments leading up to the crash. The footage shows the SUV driving through the restaurant parking lot and exiting onto Quill Drive. As the driver turned onto Bandera Road, the vehicle jumped the curb and struck a woman who was standing on the sidewalk spinning a sign.
Business owner Adriana Hage, whose security cameras recorded the incident, said the driver had just picked up two customers from her restaurant.
“The driver had picked up two customers from my restaurant here in Los Cocos, and as he was exiting, turned the corner and just jumped the sidewalk and ran into her, unfortunately,” Hage said.
Hage said the woman had little time to react.
“She didn’t have a chance to even move to the side or anything. It just came right at her,” she said.
Authorities said the victim died at the scene.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the woman as 35-year-old Darlene Ibarra. Her father shared photos of Ibarra with family members, including one showing her with her children.
Police said the driver remained at the scene and has been cooperating with investigators. No charges had been announced as of Monday, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Hage said the video of the crash was difficult to watch and that employees who later saw it were shaken.
“We were all traumatized,” she said.
Representatives with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA, visited the restaurant Monday to review the footage and interview Hage.
She said officials were examining whether Ibarra had proper safety gear and whether she was visible to traffic at the time of the crash.