Uber Driver Allegedly Pulls Gun On Passenger Who Said He Might Toss His Cookies In The Car
Police in Manatee County said it all started when the passenger in an Uber asked his driver to pull the Lexus over on Friday night around 8 p.m., “in the event that he began to vomit,” reports The Smoking Gun.
The driver stopped the car, at which point the passenger assured him that he was “feeling better and no longer felt like he was going to be sick.”
That wasn’t enough reassurance for the Uber driver, apparently, who allegedly ordered the guy to get out of the car and warned him he better not puke before he did so.
Police say the driver then opened the rear passenger door and “attempted to pull the victim out of the car by grabbing his left arm.” An argument started, during which the driver allegedly first took an “aggressive fighting stance” before pulling a black semi-automatic handgun out of the vehicle, the probable cause affidavit says. The passenger claims the driver then pointed the gun directly at him.
During police questioning, the driver apparently admitted to grabbing the gun out of the car but said he didn’t point it at the passenger. Instead, he said he got it “because he was in fear of his life.”
The driver was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, a felony, and misdemeanor battery.
“This driver’s account has been deactivated as we continue to gather the facts regarding this incident,” Uber said in a statement. “We stand ready to provide law enforcement with any information that would be helpful to their investigation into this matter.”
Cops: Uber Driver Pulled Gun On Passenger Who Warned That He Might Vomit In Car [The Smoking Gun]
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