Lyft driver, Jesse Colon, aged 45 is alleged to have used a metal pipe to attack two passengers he had recently dropped off. Sunday 12:45am (early morning) had dropped off a couple of passengers in North End, Boston and drove off when the couple called him back to return a cellphone they had left in the car. The driver agreed to return but when he arrived, is accused of getting into an argument with the couple and then attacking the woman by holding her by the neck and then wielding a metal pipe.
Colon was arrested by Boston police and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Lyft canceled Colon's status with the company stating that it extremely concerns when a driver is accused of such crimes. Lyft contacted the passengers, offering them assistance and comply with all law enforcement requirements to resolve the investigation quickly.
According to Colon, he did not start the fight and in fact, responded to the passenger's request to return the missing items for $30. He stated that when he got to the passengers, they threw some dollars at him and told him to go away. He retorted, and that is when the customers got violent. According to Colon he only used the pipe as a means of self-defense.
Our take: usually accused are innocent until proven guilty. However rideshare companies always take the side of the customer before a trial is reached. This is due to safety precautions, considering that if the driver is guilty they must protect customers from future altercations. Once the driver has been cleared of all accusations in court he is allowed request re-activation. Although the chances of this happening are slim, since he did use a weapon for self defense and rideshare companies don't allow drivers to protect themselves!