West Side Highway near West 72nd Street · Sunday, May 3, 2026, about 3:30 a.m.
A 26-year-old Bronx man has been indicted in Manhattan on aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, and aggravated DWI charges after prosecutors say he drove the wrong way on the West Side Highway and crashed into an Uber, killing the passenger.
What prosecutors say happened
According to the Manhattan District Attorney, Robert Koch was driving north in the southbound lanes of the West Side Highway near West 72nd Street at about 3:30 a.m. on May 3, 2026, when he struck an Uber head-on. Both the Uber driver and his passenger, Ada Rivero, 65, had to be cut out of the car by the FDNY. Ms. Rivero died of multiple blunt force injuries a few hours later. The Uber driver was hospitalized. An eyewitness pulled Mr. Koch from his own vehicle.
The charges
The indictment includes aggravated vehicular homicide (a class B felony), second-degree manslaughter (a class C felony), two counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter (class D felonies), third-degree assault, aggravated driving while intoxicated, and driving while intoxicated.
What those charges mean
Aggravated DWI is a misdemeanor on its own, and when no child is in the car it generally means prosecutors are alleging a BAC of .18 or higher. That matters beyond the DWI count: a BAC at that level is one of the aggravating factors that can elevate a fatal crash to aggravated vehicular homicide, the most serious impaired-driving charge in New York. Wrong-way driving is also classic evidence of reckless driving, which supports the manslaughter count independently of the alcohol.
In a case like this a Manhattan DWI lawyer's work begins with the chemical test: how and when the blood or breath was collected after a serious crash, whether it can be tied back to the time of driving, and whether the lab work holds up. If the high BAC falls, so does the theory that makes the case aggravated.
Where the case stands
We found no public report of a plea or verdict as of September 2026. Mr. Koch is presumed innocent.
Related: aggravated DWI and high BAC · felony DWI
This article is drawn from public court filings, official releases and news reports, and is provided for general information only. A charge is an accusation, not proof of guilt. Every person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Nothing here predicts the outcome of any other case, and nothing here is legal advice.
Sources
- Manhattan District Attorney: D.A. Bragg Announces Homicide Charges in Wrong-Way Drunk Driving Crash That Killed Uber Passenger on West Side Highway
- Patch: Wrong-way drunk driver indicted in fatal West Side Highway Uber crash
- West Side Rag: Driver charged after woman killed in wrong-way crash near 79th Street