A 21-year-old athlete died after being abandoned on the side of a busy highway by his Uber driver, as outlined in a lawsuit filed in California.
The young man’s parents are accusing the rideshare company of negligence and wrongful death.
The incident occurred on May 21 around 2:30 am as Cory Hunter, along with five other passengers, were returning from a night out drinking, traveling on Highway 91 in Corona, situated about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
According to the lawsuit, the Uber vehicle pulled over to the shoulder, prompting Hunter to wake up after falling asleep during the ride. Allegedly, the other passengers awakened him and instructed him to exit the car to allow someone to vomit. Eventually all the passengers got out but within a few minutes Hunter had disappeared. They called out for him repeatedly but he did not return and the group left.
The Uber driver proceeded to drive away, knowingly leaving an utterly disoriented person on the side of a busy highway, thus endangering Hunter’s life, as stated in the lawsuit.
Shortly before 3 am, Hunter was struck by a Toyota Corolla while walking in the fast lane. The driver of the Corolla stopped to provide assistance and was not subjected to any criminal investigation, according to reports.
The Uber driver’s attorney, Theida Salazar, said that his client returned to the area where Hunter had disembarked in an attempt to locate him but was unable to do so. Salazar expressed his client’s shock upon learning of Hunter’s passing and emphasized his client’s sense of responsibility and compassion.
Cory Hunter, a highly talented athlete and football player, was deeply cherished by those who knew him.
