What was supposed to be a routine ride home from Fort Lauderdale Beach turned into a late-night scare in Plantation when a rider says his Uber driver pulled a gun on his intoxicated friend in their driveway.
Phillip Yerou told reporters the drop-off spiraled into a confrontation outside his house, where he heard a "click, click" and saw the driver pointing a gun at his friend. Yerou said he shoved his friend inside, slammed the door and locked it. No one was hurt, and he said he immediately called Plantation police and reported the incident to Uber.
Speaking with WSVN, Yerou said the tension started building during the ride after his friend, who had been drinking, adjusted the air conditioning and reached under the seat for a phone or wallet. Yerou recalled the driver at one point briefly pulling up near officers along Broward Boulevard, then continuing on. Once they reached the home, he said, the driver came back to the driveway with a gun and repeatedly aimed it at the front-seat passenger.
Plantation police are investigating. Uber told the station it has removed the driver's access to the app while it reviews what happened.
Passenger's account of the altercation
Yerou said the scene outside his home unfolded fast and got emotional. He described spending several minutes trying to usher his friend into the house as the driver followed them up the driveway, all while he begged the man not to use the weapon.
According to Yerou, that scramble to get inside and lock the door likely kept the situation from getting much worse. He told reporters his friend later expressed regret for how he acted during the ride, but Yerou still wants answers about why a gun was pointed at them in the first place.
Company response and rules
Uber told 7News it deactivated the driver's account as soon as Yerou's report came in and launched an internal investigation. The company said it is cooperating with law enforcement.
According to Uber, its community guidelines bar riders and drivers from carrying firearms while using the platform "to the extent permitted by applicable law." The company states that violations of those rules can lead to permanent deactivation.
Rideshare safety in South Florida
The confrontation in Plantation comes as South Florida has seen a string of headline-grabbing clashes involving rideshare drivers and passengers. Some have been caught on camera and have ended with arrests and criminal charges.
In one example, a 2025 report from WSVN showed body-camera footage of an Uber driver being taken into custody after allegedly pointing a gun at riders in a separate incident. Those kinds of cases have ramped up scrutiny of how companies screen drivers and handle complaints about weapons.
Local authorities urge riders who feel threatened during a trip to call 911 first, then report the incident through the app so the platform can follow up and work with investigators.
Plantation police told reporters they have not yet identified the driver involved in Yerou's case and have not announced any arrests. Yerou says he wants the man tracked down and held accountable as investigators review phone records, any available surveillance footage and the rider's report.
