Drunk Taxi Driver Crashes Car Off the Road, Kills Passenger
According to The Des Moines Register, one man is dead and another man hospitalized after their taxi cab crashes off the road in Des Moines, Iowa, early Thursday morning.
About the Fatal Taxi Crash
Shawn Koltiska, 49, and Joseph “Brian” Foster, 48, were receiving a taxi cab ride on Northeast 58th Avenue near the intersection of Northeast 22nd Street when the fatal accident occurred. At around 4:00 a.m. local time, the taxi cab approached the ‘T’ intersection at the two streets but continued forward, crashing off the road and into a ravine.
The Des Moines Register reports that Koltiska died at the scene of the accident. Foster was taken to the hospital for treatment of unknown injuries. He is currently still in the hospital.
Officials arrested the taxi driver, 29-year-old Mohamed Diriye, under suspicion of driving under the influence, reports The Des Moines Register. Diriye has since been charged with homicide by vehicle, reckless driving, operating while intoxicated, and two counts of serious injury by vehicle.
Diriye was a driver for the United Taxi Cab company, reports The Des Moines Register. The owner of the company said Diriye’s driving and criminal records were clean prior to Thursday’s incident. Court records show that Diriye received a citation for speeding last March.
Company Vehicle Accident Statistics
Companies are generally responsible for the actions of their employees when their employees are acting as agents for the company. This means that when a company vehicle is involved in an accident, the driver and/or company may be liable for damages. The driver may be responsible if negligence played a role in the accident.
Additionally, employers may be liable for:
- Negligent Supervision
- Failure to Verify Proper Licensing/Certification
- Negligent Hiring Practices
- Failure to Properly Train Drivers
- Failure to Maintain Vehicle
