Texas: Woman Shoots and Kills Uber Driver After Thinking That He is Kidnapping Her

A Kentucky woman is accused of fatally shooting her Uber driver in West Texas because she believed that he was kidnapping her and taking her to Mexico. Forty-eight-year-old Phoebe Copas of Tompkinsville, Kentucky has now been charged with murder.

According to USA Today, the Kentucky woman was in El Paso, Texas to visit her boyfriend. Court documents state that she shot 52-year-old Daniel Piedra Garcia in the head while he was driving her to a location in southeast El Paso.

The complaint affidavit revealed that Copas believed that the Uber driver was not taking her to her intended destination, but was taking her to Mexico after seeing traffic signs that read "Juarez, Mexico" during the trip. It should be noted that El Paso is just across the border from its Mexican sister city, Ciudad Juarez, so signs pointing to the Mexican city are common throughout El Paso.

After shooting Piedra in the head, El Paso Police officers arrested the Kentucky woman and charged her on suspicion of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. She was then booked into the El Paso County Jail.

The affidavit pointed out that after she shot the victim, the car they were riding in crashed. However, it was "not in close proximity of a bridge, port of entry or other area with immediate access to travel into Mexico."

"The investigation does not support that a kidnapping took place or that Piedra was veering from Copas' destination," said a police news release.

Uber Driver Was Hospitalized for Days Before Family Took Him off Life Support

The Uber driver, Daniel Piedra Garcia, actually survived being shot in the head, as well as the car crash, and was sent to the hospital.

He remained hospitalized for several days before doctors told his family that he would not be able to recover. His family then decided to take him off life support, according to the Associated Press.

"He was a hardworking man and really funny," said Didi Lopez, the victim's niece. "He was never in a bad mood. He was always the one that, if he saw you in a bad mood, he'd come over and try to lift you up."

The family of the victim has now set up a GoFundMe campaign, saying that he was their sole provider. Piedra reportedly only started working again after being injured in his previous job.

Kentucky Woman Who Killed Texas Uber Driver Remains Jailed

As for Copas, the Kentucky Woman is still being held in jail with a bond worth $1.5 million. CBS 4 Local News is reporting that her bond hearing was previously postponed because of a lack of communication from her lawyer. When her next hearing will be is still unknown as of writing, though she is now facing a murder charge.

She reportedly admitted to shooting her Uber driver after taking a photo of him and sending it to her boyfriend and then calling 911. Reports state that she was meeting with him in an El Paso casino.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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