Homicide, More Charges Filed In Deadly Philly Uber Crash

PHILADELPHIA — The man who authorities said caused a crash that killed an Uber passenger and hurt the driver as he fled police has been charged.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said Joseph Cini, 35, has been charged with homicide by vehicle, flight to avoid apprehension, fleeing or eluding police, accidents involving death or personal injury, resisting arrested, and related crimes.

Those charges were filed in connection with the death of 63-year-old passenger Angela Cooper.

More charges were filed related to the driver, 51-year-old Stephen Thompson. Authorities also charged Cini with aggravated assault, accidents involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed, recklessly endangering another person, and more.

He surrendered to police Tuesday night.

Cini was already wanted for charges related to domestic assault, which was the impetus for his fleeing authorities on Monday.

The situation began when the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office was serving an arrest warrant for Cini, who was wanted for domestic assault.

Cini drove off from the area in a Nissan Maxima, and eventually crashed into a Jeep Patriot being used as an Uber vehicle near the 800 block of East Girard Avenue.

The driver, later identified as Thompson, was taken to Jeep Patriot Temple Hospital for treatment, and the passenger, later identified as Cooper, was pronounced dead at the scene.