Woman Fatally Shoots Uber Driver She Believed Was Taking Her to Mexico Against Her Will

 

A Kentucky woman was charged with murder for fatally shooting her Uber driver in the head.

Phoebe Copas, 48, fatally shot her Uber driver, Daniel Piedra, 52, a couple of weeks ago after she believed he kidnapped her and was taking her to Mexico against her will.

Copas was in El Paso visiting her boyfriend and on her way to meet up with him at a Casino according to the complaint affidavit obtained by KTSM.

Copas told police she saw traffic signs that said “Juarez Mexico” and believed her Uber driver was trying to kidnap her.

 

According to court documents, Copas took a handgun from her purse and shot Piedra in the head.

The car crashed into a freeway barrier.

Police said there was no evidence to back up kidnapping claims or that the Uber driver veered off course.

KTSM reported:

Phoebe Copas, 48 was recently arrested and is facing charges of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury after she allegedly shot an Uber driver on U.S. 54 near Loop 375 on Friday, June 16.

According to court documents, investigators learned that Copas was in El Paso visiting her boyfriend and was planning on meeting him at the Speaking Rock Casino after he got out of work.

Court documents state Copas arranged and paid for an Uber driver to pick her up and drive her to the casino. While Copas was being transported to the casino, she observed traffic signs that stated “Juarez, Mexico” which led her to believe that Piedra Garcia was attempting to kidnap her and take her into Juarez, Mexico.

Court documents state Copas then allegedly grabbed a “silver and brown handgun from her purse” and allegedly shot Piedra Garcia. The vehicle then collided with the roadway barriers before coming to a stop on US-54 near Loop 375.

Officers then arrived on scene and saw Copas was being helped out of the vehicle by her boyfriend. Officers also saw Copas “drop everything she was holding in her hands on the
ground. Included with the items that fell to the ground, was a brown and silver handgun,” according to court documents.

Court documents add the location where the vehicle came to a stop was not near a bridge, port of entry, or other areas with immediate access to travel into Mexico.

Copas is being held on a $1.5 million bond.

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