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An Uber passenger who requested a destination change during his ride allegedly battered his driver and attempted to steal the vehicle in Palo Alto on Friday evening, police said.
Officers were first alerted to a disturbance in the 3900 block of Fabian Way around 7 p.m. The two men met in San Francisco where the driver, who’s in his 20s, picked up the passenger who requested a ride to San Jose, according to a police press release issued Monday.
In the middle of the trip, the passenger asked to change the drop-off location to Redwood City. The driver exited the freeway in Palo Alto and stopped on Fabian Way, just north of East Charleston Road and near the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, where he explained to the passenger that he would need to complete the trip with another Uber driver, police said.
In response, the passenger hit the back of the driver’s shoulder. The driver stepped out of the car to protect himself from further harm. The passenger then tried to enter the driver’s seat, according to police.
A struggle ensued, where at one point the passenger was able to hit the car’s accelerator. The scuffle ended when the Uber driver told the passenger he would drive him to Redwood City, but instead called 911, the press release states.
The passenger was agitated when he heard the call, left the vehicle and banged on the car’s window, damaging the passenger’s side window in the process, before he left the scene on foot, according to police.
The driver was left with minor injuries and declined medical attention, the press release states.
Officers who responded to the scene located the passenger, a 33-year-old Belmont man, and arrested him without incident. He was booked into Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of attempted carjacking, battery and vandalism. Authorities also found he had an outstanding warrant for theft in San Mateo County, police said.
Anyone with information about Friday’s incident is asked to call the department’s 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be emailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent by text message or voicemail to 650-383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the police’s free mobile app, downloadable at bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.
Editor’s note: The Weekly’s policy is to withhold the names of those arrested for most crimes until the District Attorney has determined there is sufficient evidence to file charges in the case. See our guidelines here.
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