Family of hit-and-run victim file lawsuit against driver, delivery companies

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The parents of a woman struck and killed by a delivery driver in Philadelphia are demanding change.

Their 29-year-old daughter, Tiffany Reed, was run down by an app delivery driver while crossing Broad Street back in January of 2020.

The family argues the driver was not properly vetted before making deliveries.

Now, more than three years later, her family announced they are filing a civil lawsuit.

The defendants not only include 21-year-old Todd Burton, the man convicted for this crime, but also the delivery apps DoorDash, GrubHub, and Postmates for whom Burton was allegedly working the night of the crash.

SEE ALSO: Man charged in hit-and-run crash that killed 29-year-old woman on Broad Street

Police said Todd W. Burton, 21, was charged in the death of Tiffany Reed.

The lawsuit contends that Burton had no business being behind the wheel of a car, much less being gainfully employed by a delivery service.

Family attorney Rob Miller says, "We will show he didn't have proper registration, didn't have proper insurance at various times, when delivering for delivery apps, and didn't have a driver's license."

It was right around 3:45 a.m. when the crash happened near the intersection of Broad and Lehigh.

Surveillance video reveals that as the 29-year-old victim was walking home from work, a vehicle traveling approximately twice the speed limit hit Reed with such force that she went airborne for a distance covering more than half a city block.

Witnesses called 911, but she died a short time later at the hospital.

The video also shows Burton never even slowed his vehicle as he fled the scene.

Members of Reed's family say they are still nowhere close to coming to grips with what happened to her.

Her father Terrence Reed says, "I miss her very, very much. Her memories, I'm going to miss all of that, everything about her."

The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages along with the goal of making these delivery companies more responsible for vetting, overseeing, and supervising the delivery personnel they hire.

Attorney Simon Halib adds, "The death of Tiffany Reed is a sobering reminder that these app-based delivery companies perhaps have been going unchecked for too long and a change is necessary."

Action News did reach out to the defendants in this case, including Todd Burton's attorney, but we have not heard back.