Uber Rider Nearly Kills Driver
On Saturday, January 19, 2019, an Uber driver reported that a rider tried to take control of his vehicle. The driver says that the passenger’s actions nearly killed both of them. Reports stated that the passenger was under the influence of alcohol at the time. Video taken from a dashboard camera in the Uber shows the passenger suddenly grabbing the wheel of the vehicle. The driver was identified as local Uber driver Dax Castro. Castro says that he wants the drunk passenger to be held responsible for his actions. The passenger is currently in the Sacramento County jail. He will be arraigned on February 19 for misdemeanor DUI charges.
Incident Details
Castro said that he picked up the male passenger during the night at a bar in Citrus Heights. The scheduled drive was supposed to be around 30 minutes long. At around 15 minutes into the ride, the passenger started yelling nonsense. Then, the passenger grabbed Castro’s hand. Castro told him to let go, but the passenger threw himself forward and grabbed the steering wheel. Castro was able to hold the man back with one arm while steering with the other. Castro said that it took all of his strength to keep the man away from the wheel.
While holding the passenger back, Castro veered across three traffic lanes on southbound Highway 99. He pulled over to the roadway shoulder close to the exit for Highway 50 and called the police. Police say they received the call at 9:40 p.m. Officers conducted a traffic break to help Castro move his car to a safer area at Franklin and 12 Streets. Police arrested the passenger and tested his blood alcohol level. The man had a blood alcohol level of 0.19.
Uber and Castro’s Statements
In a statement about the crash, Uber said that “the behavior in the video is dangerous and unacceptable.” Uber added that the passenger will no longer be allowed to use their service. Castro says that the experience was traumatic. He told reporters that he is still unable to get behind the wheel of a car. He is using a moped to get around instead. Castro said that he was lucky he is bigger than the drunken passenger was and told reporters that he was afraid he would never get to see his wife or kids again if he died in the crash.
Uber and Accidents
Tragically, some Uber rides do end in accidents. When this happens, people can suffer serious injuries and may not know how to pay for them. Often, injured people can file a personal injury claim, but these claims can be complicated. They are even more complicated once a company like Uber is involved. For this reason, it is important to speak to a Sacramento Uber car accident lawyer before you take legal action. An experienced lawyer will be able to listen to the details of your case and tell you what actions you should take.
More blogs by Ed Smith, Sacramento Uber Car Accident Lawyer
- Uber Changes Autonomous Vehicle Testing Approach
- Defining a Personal Injury Lawyer
- Night Driving and Uber’s Autonomous Vehicles
Sacramento Uber & Lift Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Uber car accident lawyer. If you were hurt during a car accident, call me and receive free, friendly advice. I’m available at (916) 921-6400 and (800) 404-5400.
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Uber Rider Nearly Kills Driver: Ed Smith
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