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Biotech CEO sues Uber after ‘illegal immigrant’ driver’s alleged violent attack in South Carolina
A video went viral on social media, capturing a man with a dog being punched and headbutted by a driver.
A man is reportedly suing Uber after allegedly being punched and headbutted by a driver after he tried to bring his service dog along for the ride. A video captured the violent incident where a driver, identified as 42-year-old Russian national Uliumdzhiev Vadim Nikolaevich, is seen engaged in an altercation with 45-year-old biotech CEO, Bryan Kobel.
What does the video show?
In the footage, which is now going viral, Nikolaevich gets out of his car and grabs Kobel’s throat. The former is also seen headbutting and punching Kobel, knocking the CEO's dog to the ground.
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Immediately after the confrontation, Nikolaevich returned to his car and drove away. According to a Fox News report, a woman who witnessed the incident called 911 to help Kobel.
"I can't even look. Oh my God," the woman reportedly said during the call. “The suspect has driven off.”
Another witness who also called 911 said, “He's bleeding very badly in the back of the head. We're going to need an ambulance. Send the police. There's a gazillion witnesses."
Kobel, who was taken to the hospital, suffered a severe concussion. He also had to get seven staples. Kobel told Fox News that after allegedly assaulting him, Nikolaevich picked up another ride.
"This man violently assaults me, leaves me effectively bleeding out from my head in a parking lot, speeds off and picks somebody up two minutes later," Kobel said, adding, "When I left the hospital, my account had been suspended, and within 48 hours, it had been deactivated. Despite me sharing hospital records, police records, the detective's name and phone number and images of the assault, Uber chose to effectively victim-blame me and vilify me."
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As per the lawsuit, cited by the outlet, Nikolaevich was arrested and later released on a $10,000 bond. He was charged with assault and battery.
Why is Bryan Kobel suing Uber?
"Riders rely on Uber to know who is behind the wheel,” Kobel's attorney, Kenneth Berger, told Fox News. “We’re seeking answers and accountability for how an undocumented individual using a fraudulent ID was able to access Uber’s platform, assault a passenger and flee. Publicly traded companies that profit from public trust must have screening and real-time identity systems that actually protect people,” Berger added.
Reportedly, authorities told Kobel that Nikolaevich was living in the US illegally and was driving with a fake license.
