Texas Uber Driver Shot; Passenger Thought she was Being Abducted to Mexico

A Kentucky woman’s freak out over a road sign led to her shooting her Uber driver in the head, police say.

El Paso police arrested 48-year-old Phoebe Copas after responding to a 911 call. Police responded to the scene on U.S. 54 near the Bridge of the Americas. Copas reportedly made the 911 call after she shot Uber driver Daniel Piedra.

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Her REASON for shooting the man is bizarre. She reportedly saw road signs for “Juarez, Mexico” and, for some reason, thought she was being abducted and taken to Mexico. Police have said there is no evidence to suggest she was being abducted.

This report leaves so many questions unanswered (so far): were drugs or alcohol involved? Did she try ASKING the driver if they were going to Mexico? What was the reason for her being in El Paso and why was she armed?

Piedra, the Uber driver, was taken to the hospital; the latest is that he is in “extremely critical condition”.

Unofficial sources (that is, FitFam and our listeners) say that the woman was taking the Uber to Speaking Rock Entertainment Center at 122 S. Old Pueblo Road near the U.S. border with Mexico. According to the same unofficial sources, Mr. Piedra was shot in the head with a .22 caliber weapon.

Here are a few tips for first-time travelers to El Paso: 1.) We are very, very close to Mexico; 2.) There are lots of signs signifying our proximity to Mexico; and, 3.) Even if you WERE being abducted, you’d have at least a 45-minute wait in bridge traffic with customs and border patrol everywhere.

All that is to say…don’t freak out if you see a “Juarez” exit sign. Sure, we’ve all had a panicky moment when you THINK you’re in the Juarez lane and you want to get on the Interstate. But shooting your Uber driver is an overreaction.