Detroit, MI – The victims killed in a fatal crash involving a Lyft driver in Detroit have been identified as Andre Boynton, 60, and Carla Boynton, 57, a married couple from Durham, North Carolina.
RELATED: Lyft Driver Charged With Murder After Crash Kills North Carolina Couple in Detroit
Authorities say the couple was killed on February 22, 2026, when a vehicle driven by Theopris Mays, 40, of Herndon, Virginia, crashed into a warehouse loading dock in the 6000 block of Rosa Parks Boulevard on Detroit’s west side.
According to investigators, Detroit police responded to the location at approximately 10:15 a.m. after reports of a serious crash. When officers arrived, they discovered the vehicle upright against the building’s loading dock door with the Boyntons trapped inside. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
Prosecutors allege Mays was driving recklessly at a high rate of speed while working as a Lyft driver when he lost control of the vehicle and slammed into the building. Authorities further allege Mays fled the scene on foot but was arrested a short time later following a Detroit Police Department investigation.
Mays has since been charged with:
• Two counts of Second-Degree Murder
• Reckless Driving Causing Death
• Leaving the Scene of an At-Fault Accident Causing Death
He is currently being held on a $500,000 bond and is expected to appear in court later this month.
Meanwhile, tributes have been pouring in for Carla Boynton, who worked as a physical education teacher at Durham School of Technology in North Carolina.
School officials described Boynton as an educator who had a profound impact on students and staff.
“Miss Boynton was a wonderful person, a great staff member, and in my 30 years of being an educator, she’s a top-quality individual,” said Principal Lamont Dixon.
Dixon said Boynton’s enthusiasm and dedication made her a cornerstone of the school community.
“Her energy, her enthusiasm, her smile, her laughter just really inspired everybody in our school community,” he said.
Beyond her work in education, Boynton was also deeply involved in athletics and youth mentorship. A former track-and-field athlete, she spent more than four decades with the Durham Striders track organization, where she served as an athlete, coach, and volunteer.
Friends and colleagues described her as someone who was always willing to help and remained committed to supporting both students and the broader community.
Lyft released a statement following the crash, saying the company was cooperating with investigators and that the driver has been permanently removed from the platform.
“Our hearts are broken by this unimaginable loss,” a Lyft spokesperson said. “We extend our condolences to the riders’ family, friends, and loved ones.”
Andre and Carla Boynton are remembered by friends and colleagues as a devoted couple whose loss has deeply impacted their community in North Carolina.
Mays is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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