Police say a Lebanon man turned a routine Lyft trip in Monroe into a frightening ordeal when he allegedly attacked and strangled his driver while shouting anti-Muslim threats. The criminal complaint says the confrontation started as a dispute over directions and ended with the driver injured and fearing for his life.
According to five criminal complaints filed in Lebanon Municipal Court, Gardiner Ross Mosher, 59, is charged with felony strangulation, ethnic intimidation, aggravated menacing, assault and unlawful restraint. Investigators allege Mosher pushed the driver while the vehicle was still moving and that the encounter was captured on video, according to WKRC.
What police allege
Officers say the ride turned violent on May 18, when Mosher allegedly wrapped his arm around the driver's neck and grabbed the driver's right eye, which the complaint says caused blurred vision and a scratch. Mosher is also accused of blocking the man from getting out of the car.
The complaints quote Mosher as saying, "I'll f------ kill you, you f------ Muslim douche," and state that he nearly caused a crash when he pushed the driver while the car was moving, according to WKRC.
Charges and the law
The complaints combine several violent-crime charges with an allegation that the attack was driven by the victim's religion. Under Ohio law, "strangulation or suffocation" covers any act that limits normal breathing or blood circulation by applying pressure to a person's throat or neck, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
The ethnic-intimidation statute applies when an underlying offense is committed because of a person's race, color, religion or national origin, per the Ohio Revised Code.
What's next
The case is pending in Lebanon Municipal Court and is expected to move through the municipal hearing process. Court calendars and filing details are available on the court's website, which lists schedules for arraignments and other proceedings, see the Lebanon Municipal Court.
Local context
Prosecutors in the Tri-State region have brought ethnic-intimidation charges in other recent cases. That includes a May arrest in which a Springboro man was charged after allegedly shouting an antisemitic slur, according to FOX19. The Mosher case underscores ongoing safety concerns for ride-share drivers and how alleged bias can increase the severity of criminal counts.
The Lebanon Municipal Court proceedings are public record, and this story will be updated when new filings or hearing dates appear. Reporters have reached out to Monroe police and the prosecutor's office for comment.
