Uber driver suffers seizure, strikes pedestrian in Polk Gulch

Uber driver suffers seizure, strikes pedestrian in Polk Gulch
http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/uber-driver-suffers-seizure-strik...
By Bay City News

An Uber driver suffered an apparent seizure and struck a pedestrian with his car in San Francisco's Polk Gulch neighborhood on Saturday night, police said today.
The crash was reported at 9:58 p.m. Saturday near Polk and Geary streets.

The 56-year-old driver was taking passengers in his 2012 Mazda when he suffered the seizure, causing him to lose control of the vehicle, which hit three parked cars and then a man on the sidewalk, police spokeswoman Sgt. Danielle Newman said.

The pedestrian suffered a laceration to his head and was taken to San Francisco General Hospital. He is expected to survive, Newman said.

The driver was also hospitalized following his seizure and is expected to survive, Newman said. She said his license will be suspended until he can provide proof to the state Department of Motor Vehicles that his medical condition no longer impedes his ability to drive.

The passengers inside the Mazda at the time of the crash were not injured, Newman said.

Uber and other ridesharing companies have come under criticism in San Francisco regarding their regulations for drivers' insurance and other issues.

The policies faced increased scrutiny after an Uber driver struck and killed a 6-year-old girl on Polk Street last New Year's Eve.

In response to Saturday's crash, Uber spokeswoman Eva Behrend said, "This is a very unfortunate situation. We wish the injured driver and pedestrian a speedy recovery and are grateful that their injuries aren't more serious. Safety is Uber's #1 priority and we are treating the matter with the utmost urgency and care. This driver partner has an outstanding record of service and safety with no prior incidents. Pending a medical review, he has been removed from the Uber platform.”

— Staff, wire report