ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A local Lyft driver will no longer be giving rides after he allegedly pulled a passenger out of the car mid-ride.
A University at Albany student is accusing the Lyft driver of violently removing her from the car all because she cursed.
The moment Pilar Carrera says a Lyft driver forcibly removed her from his car is caught on camera.
“He legit starts dragging me out of the car, like I can’t make this up; he starts dragging me out, he starts pulling me by my purse, he starts trying to reach for my phone,” said Carrera.
She says the driver’s rage was caused by her cursing while she was on the phone with a friend.
“He went ballistic, he turns around, starts yelling at me, ‘get out of my car!’”
It happened Monday afternoon when Carrera called a Lyft to her campus dorm bound for a bank on Central Avenue. The ride ended just minutes after it began.
“And I’m just sobbing and in tears because I’m like what has just went down?”
Lyft confirming that driver will no longer be giving rides – saying in part quote: “Safety is our top priority and there is no place in the lyft community for this behavior. We have been in touch with the passenger to offer support and permanently deactivated the driver.”
“I don’t want it to happen ever not now not ever,” said student activist Mitchell Hura.
Hura and Carrera say they feel University Police didn’t take the incident seriously. But a spokesperson for UPD says officers met with Cerrera multiple times and quote: “During these conversations, UPD advised the student of her right to file a complaint of harassment and offered to assist her in doing so — as the department would do for any complaining party.
Cerrara has yet to file a complaint, but has some advice for her fellow students.
“Please be aware of your surroundings, if a cab driver is you know, going ballistic like this, get out of the car, don’t even argue back because it’s something that could’ve ended so badly.”
