Lyft driver who ditched ex-Cuomo staffer Sidney Wolf before fatal accident found, cooperating with cops
A Lyft driver who ditched a former aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the middle of the street — where he was fatally struck by another car — is cooperating with cops and has been banned forever from the rideshare service.
The driver, whose name has not been released, had kicked out passenger Sidney Wolf, 43, and five others in the left lane of Coastal Highway (Route 1) in Dewey Beach, Delaware, at 1:44 a.m. Sunday.
Wolf was killed by a passing car as the Lyft driver fled, according to Delaware State Police.
But he has been identified by authorities and has been “cooperative” with investigators, a police spokesperson told The Post on Wednesday.
“No charges have been filed at this time, and we do not release the names of those involved unless they have been charged,” the spokesperson said. “Whether or not charges will be filed will be determined as the investigation unfolds. This may take several months as the case continues to be investigated.”
Whatever the outcome, he won’t be driving for Lyft again, with a company spokesperson telling The Post it is “heartbroken” over the incident.
“Our hearts are with Mr. Wolf’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and we’ve reached out to offer our support,” the spokesperson said.
“We have permanently removed the driver from the Lyft community and are assisting law enforcement with their investigation.”
Wolf was originally from Missouri and went to college at Syracuse University, a former Cuomo staffer told The Post.
“Policies and public service were in his blood,” said Alex Cochran, former special counsel to Cuomo and Wolf’s one-time boss.
Wolf was celebrating a college friend’s birthday with a “beach weekend” when he was killed, Cochran told The Post. Wolf was also celebrating the primary election win of his boss, Montgomery County legislator Sidney Katz, according to Cochran.
The Lyft driver had picked up the six passengers in Dewey Beach and was taking them to Bethany Beach when the ride was terminated after an unspecified argument, cops said. A Toyota Corolla switched lanes to avoid the stopped SUV and hit Wolf, who had exited from the right rear passenger door of the Lyft and was standing in the street, according to police.
The 27-year-old driver of the Toyota stayed on scene but wasn’t charged, cops said. The other five passengers weren’t injured.
Wolf was a senior policy adviser to Cuomo from 2019 to 2021. Cuomo tweeted a link to a GoFundMe page for Wolf’s family that had raised close to $70,000 in just a day.
“To have a life cut short so young, leaving behind a loving wife & two young daughters is an unspeakable tragedy,” Cuomo tweeted.
The former adviser was a “beloved husband” to Lindsey Greenbaum Wolf and father to daughters Emerson and Harper, his online obituary said.
Cochran said Wolf told him he planned to run for a local city council race the last time they spoke.
“But it never came to be. He would’ve been great, he would’ve been a great retail politician,” Cochrane said.
Wolf played hockey and was in politics, but was also a “girl dad,” Cohran said.
“He would play dress up with them and play with the Barbies,” he said. “He would even put a tutu on just to make the girls laugh. That’s the kind of guy he was. He was the light of the room.”
