A 37-year-old rideshare driver was assaulted and robbed after a dispute with passengers, including a toddler, in the Dunlap neighborhood of Seattle, authorities report. Seattle Police say the altercation took place at the Atlantic City Boat Ramp and later escalated near an apartment on Seward Park Avenue where the driver sought assistance and was able to contact 911. During the pick-up, a man, three women, and the toddler began loading their belongings into her vehicle before she informed them that the journey could not be completed because no car seat was available for the young child.
According to KING5, the driver attempted to cancel the trip, which led to a passenger snatching her phone. She then locked the doors and repeatedly asked for her phone back. The situation intensified as accusations of theft emerged, citing their belongings still in a trunk. It was then that the male passenger assaulted her by punching her in the head. This rapidly devolved into a violent fray, leaving the driver knocked to the ground and struck by all passengers, culminating in the man hitting her with "a piece of driftwood."
Furthermore, the driver's predicament worsened as some of her belongings were stolen and her car window was smashed. The group, including the young child, fled the scene in opposite directions, with some heading toward Seward Park Avenue South, as reported by FOX13 Seattle. Seattle PD's robbery unit has undertaken the investigation, and the department's Violent Crimes Tip Line is active for anyone with information regarding the incident.
Complicating the case, initial reports by the Seattle Police Department labeled the driver as an Uber affiliate; however, an Uber spokesperson clarified to McClatchy News that their platform was not involved. Lyft, addressed subsequently, confirmed the incident's connection to their service and their repudiation of such acts. "The behavior described is unacceptable and has no place in our community," a Lyft spokesperson expressed. Lyft has reached out to the victim, banished the rider from their platform, and assured that they are poised to assist in ongoing investigations.
