An Uber driver has been accused of threatening a passenger, who warned he might be sick, with a handgun
Well that escalated quickly…
An argument between an Uber driver and passenger in Florida got quickly out of hand when the former pulled a gun on his customer, police say.
Photo: Reuters
Patrick McDonald grabbed his semi-automatic handgun after the man warned he might get sick in the vehicle during the evening journey on January 22, it is alleged.
“The victim began not to feel well and it was asked of the defendant to pull the car over in the event that he began to vomit,” the report, published by the Smoking Gun, from Manatee County Sheriff’s Office says.
“The defendant pulls his vehicle over. The victim advised that he was feeling better and no longer felt like he was going to be sick. The defendant told the victim that he needed to get out and he was not to throw up in his $75,000 car (£52,000).
Police say the 67-year-old defendant pulled over and attempted to grab the alleged victim out of the car before they began arguing on the street.
Mr McDonald is alleged to have taken an “aggressive fighting stance” before threatening the customer with his gun.
He admitted to police that he grabbed the gun because he feared for his life having heard the other passengers ‘making threats’.
The defendant has been released on bail and is due to appear in court on charges of aggravated assault and battery. His account with Uber has been deactivated while they investigate the incident.
An Uber spokesperson told the Bradenton Herald: “We stand ready to provide law enforcement with any information that would be helpful into the investigation into this matter.”
