A former staffer of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was killed after he was ordered out of a Lyft and was hit by a car in Delaware on Sunday, authorities said.
The man, identified by Cuomo on Twitter as Sid Wolf, and five friends had ordered a Lyft to pick them up from Dewey Beach and take them to Bethany Beach, according to Delaware State Police.
“As the group traveled south on the Coast Road in the same vehicle, a disagreement arose between the group and the operator Lyft,” police said in a statement.
The Lyft driver pulled over in the middle of a lane and “asked all six passengers to exit the vehicle,” police said.
A 2016 Toyota Corolla, driven by a 27-year-old man, was coming towards the car when it came to a sudden stop and changed lanes to avoid hitting the Lyft, police say. But the driver didn’t see that people got out of the car and hit Wolf.
Wolf was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The other five people are unharmed.
The Toyota driver remained at the scene, while the Lyft driver fled. Police, investigating the incident, are looking for the Lyft driver.
In a statement, a Lyft spokesperson said, “We are heartbroken by this incident. Our hearts are with Mr. Wolf’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and we have reached out to offer our support.”
“We have permanently removed the driver from the Lyft community and are assisting law enforcement with their investigation,” the statement read.
An obituary for Wolf, a father-of-two said he was “a magnet and was the first to greet you with a hug”.
“His life force was unmistakable and irresistible. He effortlessly gathered friends and cherished family above all else. To see him with his daughters was to see love incarnate,” the obituary said.
Cuomo said Wolf was “a phenomenal public servant who worked tirelessly for the good of all NY’ers”.