Woman allegedly shoots Uber driver, thinking he kidnapped her and was taking her to Mexico

(CBS NEWS) — A Kentucky woman has been accused of fatally shooting her West Texas Uber driver after mistakenly believing she was being kidnapped and taken to Mexico, according to police.

Phoebe Copas, 48, remained jailed Sunday in El Paso, Texas, after being charged with murder last week in the death of 52-year-old Daniel Piedra Garcia.

Copas allegedly shot Garcia on U.S. Route 54 as he was driving her to a destination in El Paso’s Mission Valley on June 16, the El Paso Police Department said in a statement.

“At some point during the drive, Copas thought she was being taken into Mexico and shot Piedra. The investigation does not support that a kidnapping took place or that Piedra was veering from Copas’ destination,” the statement said.

Copas was arrested and initially charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony.

Piedra was hospitalized for several days before his family took him off life support after doctors told them he would not recover.

After Piedra died, police said they’d be bringing murder charges against Copas.

Court and jail records did not list an attorney who could speak for Copas. She is being held on a $1.5 million bond, according to The Associated Press.

The shooting took place as Copas, who is from Tompkinsville, Kentucky, was in El Paso visiting her boyfriend, according to authorities.