[SlowBoat]

Parents of Long Beach Man Fatally Shot by Homeowner in 2014 Sue Uber, Driver, Shooter

http://lbpost.com/news/2000007913-p...h-man-fatally-shot-by-homeowners-after-drunken-break-in-sue-uber-driver-shooter

The parents of a Long Beach man who allegedly strayed into a Bluff Heights residence by mistake and was fatally shot by the homeowner are suing the shooter, Uber and an Uber driver, according to a recently filed lawsuit. They claim Uber is liable because one of its drivers ordered him out of a car, knowing he was intoxicated.

The negligence suit was filed by Long Beach residents David and Lynn Anderson on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Uber Technologies, Uber driver Festus Ekuma Okoh of Buena Park and the homeowners John Richard Reynolds and Lou Ann Reynolds.

The complaint states that on August 10, 2014 an impaired Ryan Anderson, 29, used the ride sharing app to request a driver to take him home, and that Okoh agreed to the transportation.

The suit also alleges Uber advertises itself as a company that offers transportation for inebriated passengers.

Okoh apparently witnessed signs of Ryan being extremely intoxicated, including not walking steadily, being confused and incoherent, and having a slow and slurred speech, the complaint added.

The complaint alleges that Okoh "stopped the car and ejected" Ryan from the vehicle before reaching his home.

"Ryan had not done anything that reasonably could have been perceived as a threat to Okoh's safety," the complaint states.

Furthermore, the claim states that Okoh admitted to leaving Ryan in a "bad," "rough" and "dangerous" area-allegedly unsafe for people to walk around after dark-and that Okoh knew he would not be able to get home from the area in his intoxicated state.

A confused and scared Ryan then called his mother, the plaintiffs state. A short time later Ryan, who had no criminal record, mistakenly wandered into the Reynolds' home-apparently mistaking it for his own, according to the lawsuit-at East Third Street and Gladys Avenue.

He then began arguing with John Reynolds, who went to get his gun in an effort to scare Ryan. During the altercation, John Reynolds accidentally shot Ryan, the suit states. John and Lou Ann Reynolds knew that Anderson was not a threat to them, the suit claims.

According to a previously-issued press release from the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD), Ryan allegedly scaled a wall to gain access into the backyard, broke a window, and proceeded to steal items from the house before John Reynolds shot him multiple times.

Officers responded to the location at about 2:30AM on a Sunday. The incident-which was reported as a burglary in progress-took place near Ryan's residence at Newport Avenue and Third Street.

Ryan was pronounced dead at the scene. Police found personal property belonging to the Reynolds' on him, according to the LBPD.

The Seattle-to-Long Beach transplant had left V Room at Fourth and Alamitos alone shortly before 2:00AM, according to longtime friend Jay Diebel. Police have not confirmed this information.

In interviews shortly after the incident, friends described Ryan as a pacifist and "never confrontational."

"I am not mad at someone protecting themselves and their home-but [Ryan] wasn't a burglar," Diebel said. "He was a good kid. Always funny, always a good remark… But just someone who would never break into someone's house. He didn't need that."

"With his beanie and beard and [being] drunk-yeah, of course he'd look suspect," said Diebel. "Anyone would [look suspect] in a house that wasn't theirs… I just don't want this becoming a conversation about the rising crime in the area because that's not what this is. It was a freak accident."

The relationship between the Reynolds was unclear in the suit. The complaint seeks unspecified damages.

An Uber representative did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment. The Reynolds could not be reached for comment.

Above, left: file photo.

 

[Another Uber Driver]

I doubt that they will get anything from the driver. It is likely that he has nothing to take except for the beat-up Camry that he is driving. It would cost the plaintiffs more to seize it than what they would get from selling it.

Uber will offer a fast settlement to make it go away. It will de-activate the driver, if it has not done so, already.

I do not know what will happen to the resident, as I am not familiar with California Law on the subject.

 

[oneubersheep]

The driver is in no way responsable for the altercation outside of his vehicle.

 

[sellkatsell44]

The driver is in no way responsable for the altercation outside of his vehicle.

No, he isn't.

The thing that may hook him is the fact that he was paid for a service (to get passenger from point A to point B).

Clearly he had a problem with the passenger so he ejected the passenger.

He should have dropped off the passenger at a police station, to be in a holding tank, until the passenger (Ryan) sobered up--if he did not feel comfortable dropping Ryan at point B as requested.

But the fact that he (Ryan) was dropped off in the middle of nowhere (so to speak, instead of his destination) was wrong.

Uber should also have strong values in place for their contract workers, that and they have more $$ than the driver which is why I believe they're brought into the (civil?) suit.

Ultimately Uber should have guidelines already in place (if they haven't) of what should be done in case xyz happens. If they already have, clearly it's not conveyed to the drivers clearly or upheld if so.

Either way, Ryan shouldn't have been dropped off in a destination other than what he placed in, esp if he's drunk intoxicated and by himself.

It's a shame that he lost his life because of that.

 

[ChicagoHeat12]

No, he isn't.

The thing that may hook him is the fact that he was paid for a service (to get passenger from point A to point B).

Clearly he had a problem with the passenger so he ejected the passenger.

He should have dropped off the passenger at a police station, to be in a holding tank, until the passenger (Ryan) sobered up--if he did not feel comfortable dropping Ryan at point B as requested.

But the fact that he (Ryan) was dropped off in the middle of nowhere (so to speak, instead of his destination) was wrong.

Uber should also have strong values in place for their contract workers, that and they have more $$ than the driver which is why I believe they're brought into the (civil?) suit.

Ultimately Uber should have guidelines already in place (if they haven't) of what should be done in case xyz happens. If they already have, clearly it's not conveyed to the drivers clearly or upheld if so.

Either way, Ryan shouldn't have been dropped off in a destination other than what he placed in, esp if he's drunk intoxicated and by himself.

It's a shame that he lost his life because of that.

The victim should also bear a good share of the blame. No one forced him into an inebriated mess. His condition was the catalyst for the chain of events that ultimately lead to his death.

 

[sellkatsell44]

The victim should also bear a good share of the blame. No one forced him into an inebriated mess. His condition was the catalyst for the chain of events that ultimately lead to his death.

Depends on the situation but he got drunk. He was smart enough to get an uber home.

he didn't attempt to drive himself
He didn't attempt to walk ( and potentially walk in front of a car accidently )

So in this case, no.

He was paying for a ride home because he's that inebriated.

The driver should have known better. If he wasn't comfortable with a drunk driver, cancel when he arrived.. Let another driver handle it.

If at any time he felt threatened, a police station is 10x better than leaving him in the middle of nowhere, particularly since the article quoted the driver to knowing it's not a "safe" neighborhood

 

[ChicagoHeat12]

So if the driver took the passenger to his address but the inebriated mess(as a result of his own drinking) broke into the next door neighbor's house and got himself shot, would you still blame the driver? No. You wouldn't. At some point personal accountably has to be acknowledged and be considered a contributing factor.

 

[sellkatsell44]

So if the driver took the passenger to his address but the inebriated mess(as a result of his own drinking) broke into the next door neighbor's house and got himself shot, would you still blame the driver? No. You wouldn't. At some point personal accountably has to be acknowledged and be considered a contributing factor.

Yes, if he took the passenger to the address, I wouldn't hold him accountable and by the by. Wouldn't his neighbor recognize him?

But that's that.

This is 1) he dropped the passenger off in an unknown spot to the passenger which 2) he admitted is a bad neighborhood

Tell me. If you saw someone drunk on the street passed out, even if you don't want to help take the person to somewhere safe, wouldn't you call the police?

And it takes 2 seconds to dial police and I'm pretty sure a few minutes for cops to arrive if he didn't want to waste gas and mile to the police station.

Go ahead and give me other examples to try and put the blame on the passenger instead of the driver (partial because uber was also in the suit).

Still doesn't change what actually happened and the fact that if you ever find yourself (never say never) that drunk and by yourself, I hope you would be able to find a kinder uber driver than the one in the story.

 

[RightTurnClyde]

Definitely an unfortunate story. To me, irregardless of the what, when, where, and why; if at any point in a trip I become concerned for my own safety... YOUR OUT right then and there, I don't care where it is! After this point I might get the law involved with a phone call, as I do see the moral point in doing so in certain instances. That being said, no one will ever convince me that I or anyone else should be "legally obligated" to assist any individual who made me feel threatened and afraid; or held responsible for their actions afterwards. Act up in a good area, get ejected in a good area. Act up in a bad area, get ejected in a bad area; simple...

 

[sellkatsell44]

When you're using the app, as a driver, and you accept the fare, you have a obligation to get the passenger from point A to point B. You do so and whatever happens outside of B is not your fault.

If you stop at an unknown location to the passenger, you do have some fault in it. Why drop off at a shady neighborhood? Why not drop off at the cops? Particularly if you feel threatened. Call the cops ASAP. Stop the car. Call the cops.

I don't understand if the driver felt so threatened why he wouldn't want the passenger thrown in jail or at least scared shietless by the possibility of being cuffed and thrown in jail.

If anything, I bet the driver just was irritated by the passenger's drunken antics and thought to himself; whatever the f and just kicked him out of the vehicle and yeah it's a rough neighborhood but the a-hole deserves it.

That's until the a-hole gets killed. Did the driver want that to happen? No. Did he think throughly, with his head instead of his emotions? No.

 

[ChicagoHeat12]

When you're using the app, as a driver, and you accept the fare, you have a obligation to get the passenger from point A to point B. You do so and whatever happens outside of B is not your fault.

If you stop at an unknown location to the passenger, you do have some fault in it. Why drop off at a shady neighborhood? Why not drop off at the cops? Particularly if you feel threatened. Call the cops ASAP. Stop the car. Call the cops.

I don't understand if the driver felt so threatened why he wouldn't want the passenger thrown in jail or at least scared shietless by the possibility of being cuffed and thrown in jail.

If anything, I bet the driver just was irritated by the passenger's drunken antics and thought to himself; whatever the f and just kicked him out of the vehicle and yeah it's a rough neighborhood but the a-hole deserves it.

That's until the a-hole gets killed. Did the driver want that to happen? No. Did he think throughly, with his head instead of his emotions?

 

[ChicagoHeat12]

You are still missing the point. The driver dropping him off in a shady neighborhood did not cause his death. The dude breaking into someone's house in the middle of the night did. You are looking for some moral high road to take the driver to task for not doing something that you'd do. That's not enough to find the driver guilty. You're blaming everyone and everything peripheral to the event instead of blaming the direct action that caused the event,

 

[DexNex]

When you're using the app, as a driver, and you accept the fare, you have a obligation to get the passenger from point A to point B. You do so and whatever happens outside of B is not your fault.

If you stop at an unknown location to the passenger, you do have some fault in it. Why drop off at a shady neighborhood? Why not drop off at the cops? Particularly if you feel threatened. Call the cops ASAP. Stop the car. Call the cops.

I don't understand if the driver felt so threatened why he wouldn't want the passenger thrown in jail or at least scared shietless by the possibility of being cuffed and thrown in jail.

If anything, I bet the driver just was irritated by the passenger's drunken antics and thought to himself; whatever the f and just kicked him out of the vehicle and yeah it's a rough neighborhood but the a-hole deserves it.

That's until the a-hole gets killed. Did the driver want that to happen? No. Did he think throughly, with his head instead of his emotions? No.

Once you exit the vehicle, and I slide the slider to end the trip, I have no further obligation to you.

 

[SlowBoat]

I wonder if Uber will provide attorney for the driver. There are so many situations where the driver has to make decisions and could be put in legal jeopardy. If that pax was that drunk and not causing problems there's a high probability he gets to his destination. If he was acting up then you have to realize that drivers have no managerial support in these instances and cannot rely on anyone. The least Uber could do is provide an attorney.

 

[Oc_DriverX]

The thing that may hook him is the fact that he was paid for a service (to get passenger from point A to point B).

Clearly he had a problem with the passenger so he ejected the passenger.

His parents do not have any idea why he was ejected from the car. At this point, only the driver knows this. If the driver feels that he is in danger or the passenger is putting his vehicle in danger, then the driver has the right to ask the passenger to leave the car. (I hope you are not suggesting that once the trip has started that the driver has not right to eject a passenger from his own car!) Why should the driver continue to put himself in danger by continuing to transport the passenger? While a public lit place might have been a better drop off point, the onus is on the passenger to behave properly and not act in a manner that gets him tossed. It is tragic that this man died. R.I.P.

 

[sellkatsell44]

His parents do not have any idea why he was ejected from the car. At this point, only the driver knows this. If the driver feels that he is in danger or the passenger is putting his vehicle in danger, then the driver has the right to ask the passenger to leave the car. (I hope you are not suggesting that once the trip has started that the driver has not right to eject a passenger from his own car!) Why should the driver continue to put himself in danger by continuing to transport the passenger? While a public lit place might have been a better drop off point, the onus is on the passenger to behave properly and not act in a manner that gets him tossed. It is tragic that this man died. R.I.P.

rawr

i feel like i'm saying the same shiet over and over but last time. preface, by you i mean that driver.

if you don't feel comfortable because a passenger is drunk off their high horse you have EVERY right to cancel the request THERE and then.

you can't tell me the passenger broke out a forty and chugged it on down with a few others in the backseat halfway and that's why.

if you decide for whatever reason to ACCEPT the fare even though he is unquestionably drunk--than you are signing up for, or "taking on" the welfare of the passenger.

The Q is, is the driver responsible for the passenger once the passenger leaves the vehicle? Generally no.

Is the driver responsible or partly so, if the DRIVER notices that the passenger is drunk, and drops the passenger off in a location that the passenger didn't agree to and something happens because the DRIVER CHOSE to drop off the passenger (obviously drunk) in a shady neighborhood?

You all are (for the most part) uber drivers so when you evaluate this situation obviously you're putting yourself in the uber drivers' shoes and you're worried that if something like this gets tried and found guilty or liable, what that would mean to you as a driver, i get it.

it still doesn't change the fact that whether you're a driver, or a fellow pedestrian..wouldn't the norm be either to A) call the cops or B) ignore the drunk but NOT steer the drunk towards an unfavorable outcome?

because the driver didn't a) call the cops or b) reject the fare but instead c) dropped off the passenger in a shady neighborhood.

 

[DexNex]

Yes, if he took the passenger to the address, I wouldn't hold him accountable and by the by. Wouldn't his neighbor recognize him?

But that's that.

This is 1) he dropped the passenger off in an unknown spot to the passenger which 2) he admitted is a bad neighborhood

Tell me. If you saw someone drunk on the street passed out, even if you don't want to help take the person to somewhere safe, wouldn't you call the police?

And it takes 2 seconds to dial police and I'm pretty sure a few minutes for cops to arrive if he didn't want to waste gas and mile to the police station.

Go ahead and give me other examples to try and put the blame on the passenger instead of the driver (partial because uber was also in the suit).

Still doesn't change what actually happened and the fact that if you ever find yourself (never say never) that drunk and by yourself, I hope you would be able to find a kinder uber driver than the one in the story.

A filing of a civil suit does not make the law.

rawr

i feel like i'm saying the same shiet over and over but last time. preface, by you i mean that driver.

if you don't feel comfortable because a passenger is drunk off their high horse you have EVERY right to cancel the request THERE and then.

you can't tell me the passenger broke out a forty and chugged it on down with a few others in the backseat halfway and that's why.

if you decide for whatever reason to ACCEPT the fare even though he is unquestionably drunk--than you are signing up for, or "taking on" the welfare of the passenger.

The Q is, is the driver responsible for the passenger once the passenger leaves the vehicle? Generally no.

Is the driver responsible or partly so, if the DRIVER notices that the passenger is drunk, and drops the passenger off in a location that the passenger didn't agree to and something happens because the DRIVER CHOSE to drop off the passenger (obviously drunk) in a shady neighborhood?

You all are (for the most part) uber drivers so when you evaluate this situation obviously you're putting yourself in the uber drivers' shoes and you're worried that if something like this gets tried and found guilty or liable, what that would mean to you as a driver, i get it.

it still doesn't change the fact that whether you're a driver, or a fellow pedestrian..wouldn't the norm be either to A) call the cops or B) ignore the drunk but NOT steer the drunk towards an unfavorable outcome?

because the driver didn't a) call the cops or b) reject the fare but instead c) dropped off the passenger in a shady neighborhood.

None of this is stated in the civil contract that is presented to either the PAX or the driver. You don't know what you are talking about.

 

[sellkatsell44]

A filing of a civil suit does not make the law.

None of this is stated in the civil contract that is presented to either the PAX or the driver. You don't know what you are talking about.

i'm not quoting the contract.

never did and I apologize if that was where the confusion is.

doesn't change the fact that if the driver really felt uncomfortable/threatened by the fact that the passenger is drunk, he should have not picked up the fare.

if he picked up the fare, he should have completed it as agreed upon.

if at any time he felt threatened during the fare, he should have called the cops.

what is so difficult about that?

 

[Fuzzyelvis]

Yes, if he took the passenger to the address, I wouldn't hold him accountable and by the by. Wouldn't his neighbor recognize him?

But that's that.

This is 1) he dropped the passenger off in an unknown spot to the passenger which 2) he admitted is a bad neighborhood

Tell me. If you saw someone drunk on the street passed out, even if you don't want to help take the person to somewhere safe, wouldn't you call the police?

And it takes 2 seconds to dial police and I'm pretty sure a few minutes for cops to arrive if he didn't want to waste gas and mile to the police station.

Go ahead and give me other examples to try and put the blame on the passenger instead of the driver (partial because uber was also in the suit).

Still doesn't change what actually happened and the fact that if you ever find yourself (never say never) that drunk and by yourself, I hope you would be able to find a kinder uber driver than the one in the story.

Some of us will never be in that situation because we don't GET so wasted we don't know where we are. I would argue that it's responsible to call an uber when you have had a couple of drinks and shouldn't drive, but getting THAT drunk is not responsible under any circumstances. I honestly believe far more people are getting MORE drunk than they would in the past because of uber. Drunk driving may be down, but DRUNKENNESS is up.

 

[sellkatsell44]

Fuzzyelvis and you're totally entitled to your opinion. you don't think you'll ever be in that situation and i hope not, but again, i wouldn't say never because...well, you never know. i never thought i would get cancer but what do you know. I also never thought i'd call the cops on someone i know but i was threatened and I did.

+ yes, uber does give folks more freedom to get wasted, its awesome when no one in my group wants to be the DD.

i find it interesting that most folks here tend to talk about what's morally right (seems to revolve around tipping mostly) yet in this situation no one seems to think there is a moral obligation to make sure the passenger was safe.

what do you guys think cops are for? call them. there is even a non-emergency line so you don't tie up 911 if you don't think it is THAT big of a deal, but big enough that you're about to boot someone into an unsafe neighborhood.