Latest news with #BarbaraFriedes
CBS News
22-07-2025
- CBS News
Michael Vahey sentenced to 6-20 years in prison in death of CHOP Dr. Barbara Friedes
A Philadelphia man was sentenced to 6-20 years in prison Tuesday after admitting to driving under the influence in the crash that killed CHOP Dr. Barbara Friedes last year. Michael Vahey, 69, pleaded guilty to charges of vehicular homicide, third-degree murder, driving under the influence and involuntary manslaughter, among other charges, his court docket shows. Police said the 30-year-old Friedes was on her bike in the bike lane on Spruce Street near 18th when Vahey, behind the wheel of a Volkswagen, struck her the evening of July 17, 2024. According to the DA's office, Vahey was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash and had a BAC of nearly 0.16. The legal limit is 0.08. He was also reportedly traveling over 50 mph, double the speed limit in the area. Friedes suffered "severe head trauma," police said after the accident, and was taken to Jefferson University Hospital, where she died a short time later. According to the Philadelphia Parking Authority, Friedes was the first cyclist death reported in the city in 2024. Friedes' death spurred advocacy for better protections for cyclists in the city. Organizations, including the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, said Spruce Street is a popular biking corridor that needs concrete barriers to protect cyclists. According to her obituary, Friedes was born at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming and moved around with her father's Air Force career. After she graduated from Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colorado, Friedes attended Florida State University, where she was on the FSU Golden Girls dance team, and later attended Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Friedes joined Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in 2021 as a pediatric resident and later became chief resident. She met her husband, Dr. Cole Friedes, when they were FSU undergraduates. "I'd like for her to be remembered as a kind, compassionate and brilliant wife, daughter, sister, friend and physician who dedicated her life to serving others and who was a magnetic and inspiring light," Cole Friedes told the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2024. "We were lucky to be loved by her." This is a developing story and will be updated.
CBS News
18-07-2025
- CBS News
PPA starts issuing tickets for blocking bike lanes, volunteer group assists in enforcement
Thursday marks one year since Barbara Friedes, a doctor at CHOP, was killed by a drunk driver while riding her bike in the bike lane on Spruce Street. A drunk driver drove into the designated bike lane and killed her. Since her death, there has been change and controversy surrounding bike lane safety in Philadelphia. "I absolutely think it was a turning point. It really woke something up in the city and the general public about what's been going on our streets," Jessie Amadio, a member of Philly Bike Action, said. CBS News Philadelphia investigations found countless cars blocking bike lanes, including by churchgoers on Sunday, who had permits from the city to park there. That permit no longer exists, and a new law cracks down on vehicles blocking bike lanes. Ironically, a memorial known as an "angel bike" in honor of Friedes is chained to a "No Stopping" sign along Spruce Street. Up until a few weeks ago, it was a "No Parking" sign, meaning cars could park there for up to 20 minutes before the Philadelphia Parking Authority could ticket them. "We're really changing the culture of that street because for so many years, you were allowed to pull over in the bike lane and stop for 20-plus minutes and then unload things. That's changed," Rich Lazer, executive director of the PPA, said. Signs were updated in June along the Spruce and Pine streets bike lanes, and after a warning period, the PPA started issuing citations last week. Since July 8, it has issued 59 citations on Spruce Street and 36 on Pine Street for cars blocking the bike lanes. Thanks to Philly Bike Action, a volunteer advocacy group in the city, enforcement has been bolstered even more. "Our goal is not to snitch. Our goal is not to, you know, get people tickets. Our goal is for the city streets to be safer for everybody who moves around them," Ee Durbin, a Technical Lead with Philly Bike Action, told CBS News Philadelphia. Durbin is the brains behind Laser Vision, an online tool that allows people to report violations straight to the PPA in real time. "They've been a great partner in this, and the app's working great, people are using it," Lazer said. Since the app launched last month, the PPA says they've received roughly 2,000 reports. They get about 300 to 500 a week and even though the PPA already had an online form for public reports, Laser Vision makes the process easier. You take a picture of the vehicle in violation and most other information is automatically filled in, like location and vehicle description. Some cyclists say they've come a long way since Dr. Friedes was killed, but still have a long road ahead, as cycling advocates are growing impatient that there still isn't a plan for concrete protection along the Spruce and Pine bike lanes. "It's been 12 months, and the bike lanes are just as unprotected as they were the night that Dr. Friedes died," Amadio said. Concrete infrastructure is supposed to be Phase Two of the Mayor's bike lane safety project. A spokesperson with the city didn't give a timeline for that project. A lawsuit was filed by a neighborhood group looking to block that project, saying it will create congestion and obstruct emergency vehicles.
