Lyft driver attacked by passenger in Pittsburgh

Police are investigating after a Lyft driver said he was assaulted by one of his passengers on Sunday around 2 a.m. near the intersection of 5th Avenue and Murray Hill Road in Shadyside. The driver told police he was driving a man and two females to their destination when the male passenger accused him of taking a long route. The male reportedly told the driver to stop and ordered the driver out of the vehicle. Police said the man then pushed the driver to the ground on 5th Avenue. All 3 passengers took off and got away in a vehicle. Police said the driver complained of back pain but refused medical treatment A Lyft spokesperson said in a statement “Safety is our top priority and there is no place in the Lyft community for violence of any kind. We have permanently banned the rider from the Lyft community, spoke with the driver to extend our support, and are in touch with law enforcement to assist with their investigation”  

ACTION NEWS 4 PITTSBURGH REPORTER BEAU:

“GOOD EVENING. POLICE ARE SAYING THIS HAPPENED AT SUNDAY — ON SUNDAY AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING. THIS IS JUST ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM THE MORE NOTABLE INTERSECTION OF NEGLEY AVENUE. POLICE SAY THEY GOT A CALL FROM THIS LIFT DRIVER — LYFT DRIVER WHO SAID HE WAS ASSAULTED BY A MALE WRITER INSIDE OF HIS VEHICLE. THE DRIVER TOLD POLICE THAT AS HE WAS DRIVING THREE PEOPLE ON FIFTH, THE MAN WAS COMPLAINING THAT THE DRIVER WAS TAKING TOO LONG OF A ROUTE TO THEIR DESTINATION. THE DRIVER SAYS THE MALE PASSENGER TOLD HIM TO STOP THE CAR, WHICH HE DID, AND THEN ORDERED THE DRIVER TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, WHICH HE ALSO DID. THE MAN THEN PUSHED HIM TO THE GROUND, INJURING HIS BACK. POLICE SAY THE FEMALE PASSENGERS GRABBED THE MAN AND RAN ACROSS THE STREET WHERE ALL THREE GOT INTO A CAR AND DROVE AWAY. POLICE SAY THAT LYFT DRIVER REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT AND DID COMPLAIN OF BACK PAIN. WE GOT A STATEMENT FROM LYFT TONIGHT. THEY SAY THEY PERMANENTLY BANNED THE RIDER AND SPOKE TO THE DRIVER. THEY ARE IN TOUCH WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TONIGHT. LIVE IN SHADYS”