San Francisco Uber Driver Accused Of Forcibly Pulling Rider From Car, Smashing Her Phone In Dispute Over Directions
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- An Uber driver is suspected of forcibly pulling a passenger out of his car before smashing her smartphone as she tried to record the incident in San Francisco over the weekend.
Authorities said 39-year old Berkeley resident Martin Hynek, who drove for the UberX service, was cited for three misdemeanors including battery, malicious mischief, and vandalism.
The alleged victim got into a disagreement over the address of her destination when Hynek picked her up at her Nob Hill home around 7 p.m. Saturday night.
"His exact words were, 'I need address for GPS,'" the victim told KPIX 5 in an interview on Monday.
Hynek allegedly pulled over on Jones Street and demanded that she get out of the car before forcibly pulling her out.
"I put my head down and was texting, and the next think I know we're stopped and he's running to my side of the car cussing, telling me to get the f out of his car. He grabs my arm, I take that hand and I hold it up with my phone to take a picture. He lets go, grabs the phone and throws it down the street," the alleged victim said.
The victim recovered her broken phone to make a copy of the name and photo of the driver. She said it took Uber representatives 20 hours to call her.
Hynek was cited and allowed to leave.
Uber said Hynek's driver account was suspended pending an investigation. The company refunded the alleged victim for her ride, and is also replacing her phone.
Last month, another Uber driver was charged with attacking a passenger with a hammer.
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