A driver is now under arrest for the death of Dr. Barbara Friedes. Authorities say the man was drunk and speeding through the bike lane when he hit her as she rode her bike in the Center City last week. NBC10’s Siobhan McGirl has the latest details.
It had been more than a week since Dr. Barbara Friedes was killed by a driver who sped through a bike lane near Rittenhouse Square and, in following days, there were few updates on the case.
But, in providing new information on the case on Thursday morning, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner didn't mince words.
"Mr. Vahey is responsible for the death of Barbara Friedes," he said matter-of-factly.
According to Krasner, information that had only recently became available found that driver Michael Vahey, 69, was highly intoxicated -- twice the legal limit, Krasner claimed -- when he was driving the vehicle that struck and killed Friedes.
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Vahey is charged with homicide by vehicle while DUI, homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence of alcohol, recklessly endangering another person, reckless driving, and exceeding the speed limit.
Krasner was joined by the city's police commissioner, Kevin Bethel, State Rep. Ben Waxman (D-182nd dist.), representatives of the Greater Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and others, during the Thursday announcement.
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During the incident, Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore said, Vahey's vehicle was traveling at about 57 m.p.h.
"He struck her with such impact that he threw her body at least 150 feet. And, she was dead, probably then," Pescatore said.
In discussing the case, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said over the last five years, police have arrested nearly 10,000 people for DUI incidents.
"This shows you what happens when someone who is under the influence gets behind the wheel of a car and now we have someone, a tragic death," he said.
Krasner said that Vahey surrendered to police on Wednesday night and is awaiting an arraignment hearing.
The district attorney also said that, at that arraignment, he plans to seek a "high bail" despite the fact that Vahey has no prior record, due to the tragic outcome of this incident.
The death of Dr. Barbara Friedes
Friedes, 30, a pediatric doctor, who was recently named a chief resident at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, was killed in a crash that happened at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, while riding her bike along the 1800 block of Spruce Street.
Police have said that she was struck, while wearing a bike helmet and riding in a designated bike lane, by a driver of a blue 2018 Volkswagen who was traveling at a high rate of speed westbound on Spruce Street.
After hitting Friedes, the Volkswagen continued on to strike a parked 2019 Nissan, a 2018 Toyota and a 2019 Lexus that were all legally parked on the street, officials said.
Vahey, who officials said Thursday was behind the wheel of that Volkswagen, was taken to a nearby hospital after suffering minor injuries in the crash.
'It was so simple to prevent'
In the days following the deadly crash, Friedes' parents joined advocates and Philadelphia cyclists in calling for change.
Her father, John Dietrick, told NBC10's Siobhan McGirl, that her death could have been prevented.
"There is no sense in any of it. There is no justification, there is no logic," said Dietrick said. "It was so simple to prevent.”
According to the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Friedes is the first person to be killed riding a bicycle in Philadelphia in 2024. In 2023, they say the city experienced a record number of bicyclist deaths with 10 people killed.
During a vigil after Friedes' death, advocates said they wanted to see concrete barriers installed and other measures taken to protect bike lanes.
“Not only are these tragic deaths unacceptable, they were preventable,” said Chris Gale, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. "She was doing everything right. She still lost her life because there wasn’t enough infrastructure, concrete barriers. There wasn’t a way to really, really protect her in the road."
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
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