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A former aide who worked for former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo was struck and killed on a highway in Delaware after a Lyft driver ordered him and his party out of the vehicle.
Sid Wolf was in the ride-share vehicle with five friends when an unspecified dispute with the passengers led to the Lyft driver terminating the ride by stopping the vehicle in the middle of the southbound lane on the Coastal Highway.
The driver ordered Wolf and his fellow passengers out of the car.
\u201cA Lyft driver who ditched Sid Wolf in the middle of the street \u2014 where he was fatally struck by another car \u2014 is cooperating with cops and has been banned forever from the rideshare service. https://t.co/OTBuyzqEHI\u201d— Mark Lungariello (@Mark Lungariello) 1659010369
Wolf exited the vehicle from the right rear passenger seat and was "standing in the street," according to the police report.
He was struck by a 2016 Toyota Corolla operated by a 27-year-old male, that tried to switch lanes to avoid hitting the stopped Lyft car. Wolf, a married father of two, died at the scene.
He was 43.
\u201cStill doesn't feel real. Sid was a great friend, husband, father, son, teammate. We met freshmen year at Cuse, both moved to DC after college, and spent too many crazy fun weekends at Bethany beach together. Please consider donating to help Sid's family. https://t.co/yNJ1GjSZq1\u201d— Nathan (@Nathan) 1659113983
According to a Delaware State Police news release, the Lyft driver picked up Wolf and his friends to transport them from Dewey Beach to their residence in Bethany Beach on July 24, 2022, around 1:44 am.
After Wolf was struck, the Toyota Corolla pulled over on the southbound shoulder and came to a controlled stop.
However the Lyft vehicle fled the scene.
The other five passengers were not injured.
Upon hearing of his former aide's death, Cuomo released a statement on Twitter with a link to a GoFundMe page organized by friends and family to support Wolf's wife and daughters.
"Shocked & saddened to hear this tragic news," tweeted the ex-New York Governor.
"Sid was a phenomenal public servant who worked relentlessly for the betterment of all NY’ers My heart goes out to Lindsey & his two young daughters."
\u201cShocked & saddened to hear this tragic news. Sid was a phenomenal public servant who worked relentlessly for the betterment of all NY\u2019ers\n\nMy heart goes out to Lindsey & his two young daughters\n\nGov Cuomo staffer killed after being ordered out of Lyft https://t.co/ODiGaWRez3\u201d— Andrew Cuomo (@Andrew Cuomo) 1658879400
Cuomo added:
"To have a life cut short so young, leaving behind a loving wife & two young daughters is an unspeakable tragedy."
\u201cTo have a life cut short so young, leaving behind a loving wife & two young daughters is an unspeakable tragedy\n\nPeople have asked how they can help\n\nSid's friends have posted a GoFundMe page to help support Lindsey & their daughters in this trying time:\n\nhttps://t.co/sLnDTQIfMK\u201d— Andrew Cuomo (@Andrew Cuomo) 1658952321
\u201c@andrewcuomo Very sorry for your loss @andrewcuomo \nSympathy to his family and friends in their time if sorrow.\u201d— Andrew Cuomo (@Andrew Cuomo) 1658879400
\u201c@andrewcuomo Extremely sorry to hear of your staffer Sid passing. I feel bad for his wife and children. Please know even though we don't know him, many will be praying\ud83d\ude4f Sorry for his loss, family loss and community loss. Very sorry to you Andrew and all his coworkers that knew him.\u201d— Andrew Cuomo (@Andrew Cuomo) 1658879400
\u201c@andrewcuomo I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your staffer. My condolences to his family and you sir. Thank you for continuing to keep new Yorkers in your thoughts. RIP Sid \ud83d\udc94\ud83d\udc94\ud83d\ude4f\ud83d\ude4f\u201d— Andrew Cuomo (@Andrew Cuomo) 1658879400
The New York Post reported the name of the Lyft driver was not released but he was "cooperating with cops."
A police spokesperson told the publication:
“No charges have been filed at this time, and we do not release the names of those involved unless they have been charged."
“Whether or not charges will be filed will be determined as the investigation unfolds. This may take several months as the case continues to be investigated.”
\u201c@andrewcuomo An unnecessary tragic end. What kind of person forces ppl out of their car in an active traffic?\n\nDoesn\u2019t Lyft have a protocol that must be followed that requires passengers be exited in a safe drop off point?\u201d— Andrew Cuomo (@Andrew Cuomo) 1658879400
\u201c@jerseyorker @andrewcuomo Regardless whether there was a huge fight or not you don\u2019t let someone out on left side of the road. My Condolences to the family. \ud83d\udc94\u201d— Andrew Cuomo (@Andrew Cuomo) 1658879400
The Lyft driver was forever banned by the ride-share company.
A spokesperson for Lyft said they were "heartbroken" over the tragic news.
“Our hearts are with Mr. Wolf’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and we’ve reached out to offer our support,” said the spokesperson.
“We have permanently removed the driver from the Lyft community and are assisting law enforcement with their investigation.”
“But it never came to be. He would’ve been great, he would’ve been a great retail politician,” said Cochrane.
\u201cSaddened to learn about the death of Sidney Wolf. I met Sidney on the campaign trail. He was warm, positive, and such a good listener. May his memory be a blessing. Please consider helping his family through this tough time. https://t.co/tP6lWKRBL0\u201d— Julie Yang (@Julie Yang) 1658949557
Cochrane shared how close his former employee was to his daughters.
“He would play dress up with them and play with the Barbies,” he said. “He would even put a tutu on just to make the girls laugh. That’s the kind of guy he was. He was the light of the room.”