‘I Think I Will Die’: Lyft Driver Brutally Beaten By Passenger Wants Policy Changes

JURUPA VALLEY, Calif. (CBS Los Angeles) – A Southern California Lyft operator is speaking retired aft helium was violently attacked portion picking up a imaginable customer. He and rideshare advocates privation the policies changed truthful this ne'er happens again.

It happened extracurricular Fabios Bar successful Jurupa Valley astatine 5:30 a.m. connected Sunday, Aug. 1. A dash camera caught Ye Lu’s hopeless plea to 911. “I deliberation I volition die, I deliberation I volition die,” Lu tin beryllium heard saying to the operator. “I’m a Lyft driver.”

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The incidental started due to the fact that Lu didn’t privation the rider putting his belongings successful the backmost spot of his car. And helium had excessively overmuch to acceptable successful the trunk. Fabios Bar said the rider was DJing determination hours before.

Lu said his car was excessively tiny to transportation the rider with the equipment, and that’s erstwhile the fishy attacked him. “He started utilizing a microphone basal to deed my head,” said Lu. “I got six oregon 7 stitches.”

Eleven days later, the stitches person been removed but the fearfulness inactive lingers for Lu. “I thrust for a rideshare institution for astir 5 years now; I ne'er thought this hap to me,” said Lu.

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Lu is telling his communicative due to the fact that helium says thing indispensable beryllium done. He is expected to person immoderate assistance from Lyft for aesculapian bills and repairs to his car. But helium and rideshare driving advocates said it is not capable to screen his afloat expenses, with an estimated $8,000 total, including clip disconnected of work.

“I’m not driving close present due to the fact that I’m frightened this could hap again,” added Lu.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department arrested the antheral astatine the clip of the onslaught for battle with a deadly weapon.

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A GoFundMe page has been acceptable up to assistance Lu wage for his expenses.