"This sort of aggressive behavior - there definitely needs to be something that needs to be done," the driver's son said. She added that the company has assisted law enforcement in several carjacking arrests, including two incidents in Chicago. The incident occurred on Feb. 17 when Jack Synder, who. 1 hospitalized after fire in West Town, CFD says, Jupiter and Venus appear to 'kiss' in the sky, Belvidere Jeep assembly plant shut down indefinitely. Known as Javy to friends, his family said the entrepreneur was trying to better himself, especially after recovering from a brain aneurysm he had a few years ago. The specific details of what happened next arent fully clear, because Tommy said he went in and out of consciousness. Police said the girls, 13 and 15, attacked the man with a Taser, then tried to steal his car. And Lyft has a lot of holes in the system.. Uber said in a statement, "The details reported by Mr. Roth are terrifying, and as soon as he reported the incident, we deactivated the rider. But when he got to his destination in the 4700 block of South Lotus in Stickney Township, that's when things went south. Geico, the Crosses insurance provider, didnt respond to a request for comment. While The Markup has tracked more than 100 carjackings of ride-hail drivers over the past year and a half, including three this month in Atlanta, Cleveland, and Key West, this number is far from comprehensive. Driver advocates say Uber and Lyft have not taken simple steps that could have prevented some of the incidents. Driver Siraj Mehdi Syed escaped a near-deadly confrontation that was captured on smartphone video. In that case, the robbers approached the man's car, put a gun to his head, and ordered him out of his gray 2016 Lexus. When police knocked on Hyltons door late that night, she said she asked them if she needed to go get Newman from the hospital. "They pointed a gun at him and told him he has to leave everything behind - his wallet, his other belongings. For drivers its a different story. "People are getting shot, people are dying. The video featured is from a previous report. He said he felt something right off the bat.. With carjacking incidents involving ride-share drivers on the rise in Chicago and other markets, Uber is rolling out a nationwide verification program for riders using payment methods such as. His joy was his daughter.". Carjackings can also happen to rideshare drivers while passengers are in the car. One of them got in the back seat and shot the father of three in the head, the station said. By allowing people to use fake names and not upload pictures of themselves, they give criminals a level of anonymity that makes them feel comfortable committing the crime, he said. "Issues that affect the safety of drivers are very concerning to us. Reddit threads are filled with drivers swapping stories about alias rider names like The man, dark vader, and KINK86. A Chicago ride-hail driver started a petition calling on Uber and Lyft to ban fake names because of safety issues; it now has more than 1,800 signatures. As the stolen car fled south on DuSable Lake Shore Drive, a license plate-reading camera picked it up at . I just want to have a vehicle, she said, so we can make some money and work.. It all started in North Lawndale and ended in suburban Stickney Township. While the company still allows for alias names, Uber spokesperson Page said it no longer lets riders set up new accounts or change their names using numbers, emojis, or symbols. Ubers Page said drivers are free to install their own cameras, so long as they comply with local law. Overall carjackings in the city and suburbs have skyrocketed during the pandemic, with 218 in January alone in Chicago. They must use a government issued ID, go through background checks, and have their name and a photo of themselves in the app. August 31, 2021 / 6:19 PM CHICAGO - At least four people were carjacked in Chicago Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning in Chicago. The suspects in these cases have yet to be found. After being attacked at the shuttered sports arena in Cleveland, Norman said she headed straight to the police station. I dont know what to do next. Did you do background checks on NBA?. Schelstraete was left brain dead and died Wednesday morning, according to the report. "They ended up Tasing him and telling him, instructing him to like get out of the car - which he did," the driver's son said, "and again, he is OK, but again, mentally, like he is in a state of shock.". This carjacking happened about an hour and 20 minutes before another carjacking where a stun gun was also used on a rideshare driver in the 3500 block of West Ohio Street in Humboldt Park. But thats not what were seeing now, said Lenny Sanchez, an Uber and Lyft driver in Chicago and co-founder of the Illinois chapter of driver advocacy group Independent Drivers Guild. Eleven have died as a result of the assaults, dozens more have been severely or permanently injured. Always keep the doors locked while driving and your phone on and close to you so you can make a fast call to 911. Your contributions help us investigate how technology influences oursociety. Authorities said Mohammad Anwar, 66, an Uber Eats driver, died at the hands of two teenage girls who investigators said used a stun gun on him in Washington. Obviously, he's never been Tased before," the driver's son said. They just want to get to their destination.. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. "He got in the seat behind me and started punching me from behind, right in the chest," Sanchez said. Gig workers guards are down in a way that normal drivers wouldnt be because they have strangers getting in and out of their cars, said Greening, the lawyer. LegalRideshare, the firm Greening co-founded, has donated $10,000 to buy dash cams for Chicago-based drivers. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Texas carjacking suspect pulled gun on mother in front of her children, led police on chase, Teen boys charged in carjacking murder of honor student, Family begs third suspect to confess after carjacking puts man in coma, Video captures critically injured man thrown from SUV by 15-year-old carjackers. In each incident, a group of four men dressed in all black approached Uber drivers and other motorists and demand their vehicle and personal property at gunpoint, police said. And in cities across the country, some drivers have bought dash cams, while others say theyve started carrying weapons despite it being forbidden by the companies. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. Gurney's carjacking happened last year, when Chicago set a new 21-year record with 1,848 carjackings. The pair stole his cellphone and backpack containing his iPad. Others include Uber drivers Javier Ramos and Joe Schelstraete, both of whom were fatally shot in the Chicago area in March and June, respectively; Uber driver Joshua Miller, who was killed in Dallas in January; Timothy Perkins, who also drove for Uber and was fatally stabbed in Detroit in January; and Lyft driver Kristopher Roukey, who was fatally shot in Akron, Ohio, in May. The victim was listed in critical condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "This is my only form of employment right now, its how I make my money.". I mean, like, really fast," he said. CARJACKING: CHICAGO'S NEW PANDEMIC Click to Call 312-322-9000 Recent Criminal Case Victories Robert J. Callahan Call (312) 322-9000 and Start Fighting for Your Rights. "This could have been anyone's brother, anyone's son, anyone's father, anyone's cousin," Hortencia Ramos said. "And that's when his girlfriend went ballistic.". CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two rideshare drivers were recovering Tuesday after being attacked with stun guns by their passengers. The apps matched all five of those drivers to pick up passengers who then went on to rob, beat, shoot, and in one case, kill them. Mohammad Anwar, a Pakistani immigrant and Uber Eats driver was killed in Washington, D.C., in March, after two girls with an electric stun gun approached him while he was parked and then allegedly tried to carjack him. I lost my car, my husband, money, everything we had, for a ride for six dollars and something cents.. Those drivers were demanding more safeguards be put in place. A fourth person was said to have driven that vehicle away from the scene. And at least 1,700 rideshare drivers agree with him, signing a petition asking Uber and Lyft to prohibit use of fake names. As Lyft driver Cynthia Norman steered a white Chevy through Clevelands streets on a cold night in January, the app pinged her to pick up a passenger named NBA. She pulled up to the curb in front of a two-story brick apartment complex where two men who looked to be in their 20s were waiting for her. I just work the airport, Morrow said. Morrows Honda was recovered but had about $10,000 in damage, and he had to pay the $1,000 insurance deductible. "We are devastated. Sanchez said the Independent Drivers Guild regularly canvasses gig workers at OHare airport and encounters about a dozen drivers per week who say theyve experienced a carjacking or attempted carjacking. These additional verification requirements can act as a deterrent to those who are trying to use the app to cause harm, Uber said in a blog post. And in many cases the incidents left them without their personal vehicleswhich oftentimes can be their primary source of income. every once in a while a trial comes along. Currently listed for a whopping $29,999,995, a 40% reduction from its original ask of $50 million, a French-inspired mansion in Chicago easily claims the top spot for expensive real estate in Illin "And he looked at me and turned around and got confrontational and I looked at him like, I am not taking this. A new feature will require riders who are setting up accounts with prepaid debit cards, gift cards or Venmo to also upload a valid ID, like a driver's license or a passport. Police confirmed two young teenagers, aged 15 and 13, were formally charged Wednesday with crimes including felony murder after an alleged carjacking resulted in the death of 66-year-old grandfather Mohammad Anwar on March 23. CHICAGO (CBS) -- An Uber driver is speaking out after a gun was put to his head while on the job. On the night she picked up NBA, she had a handgun stashed under the armrest of her center console. Search. ABC7 Eyewitness News has talked to other rideshare drivers who said they were carjacked by their own passengers. There's a cluster on the West Side, a smaller amount on the South Side, and few more all over the city. RELATED: Carjacking safety tips: What to do if you're approached by a carjacker, "I was getting scared," Sanchez said. / CBS Chicago. He had just delivered, was walking to his car, and two males appeared," the driver's son said. SEE ALSO | New video shows rideshare driver carjacked in West Town. Sanchez himself quit driving for Uber and Lyft during the pandemic and hasnt yet returned. Norman said Lyft dealt her one final blow after her experience with NBA. Families of killed drivers have done the same for funeral arrangements. Lyft and Uber drivers are much more vulnerable than other carjacking victims, said Eric Piza, an associate professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The Uber driver, understandably, was very shaken up Tuesday and could not do an interview with us. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Our thoughts are with his family and we are working with law enforcement on their investigation, in a statement to Fox News. Investigations, Dara Kerr It didnt even cover towing; they billed me for that too, she said. Sanchez said its crucial that Uber and Lyft do whatever it takes to deter criminals from using the apps. 2023 FOX Television Stations, is in effect, LaSalle County, Lake County, Kenosha County, from FRI 6:00 AM CST until FRI 11:00 PM CST, Central Cook County, DuPage County, Eastern Will County, Grundy County, Kane County, Kankakee County, Kendall County, La Salle County, Northern Cook County, Northern Will County, Southern Cook County, Southern Will County, Lake County, Newton County, Porter County, Jasper County, 1700 block of West 21st Street at 12:45 a.m. in, 1100 block of West Adams Street at 1:51 a.m. on the, 2800 block of North Richmond Street at 1:51 a.m. in, 2000 block of North Orleans Street at 2:23 a.m. in, 400 block of West Fullerton Avenue at 2:38 a.m. in Lincoln Park, I didnt realize: Woman mistakenly eats heart-shaped chip that could have won her 100K, Lightfoot loses re-election bid, this is the date she will leave office, 2 Chicago men charged in Douglas Park murder, Winning $1 million Powerball ticket sold in Chicago, Man faces charges in 2 fatal South Side shootings, Chicago mayoral election: Vallas rips Johnson's 'destroy Chicago's economy plan', Chicago police officer fatally shot on Southwest Side, Suspects robbing victims in Chicago who are withdrawing money from ATM: police, West Town building collapses after catching on fire, Chicago area scores No. Javier Ramos' family said the Uber driver was killed while fighting back when a passenger tried to carjack him early Tuesday morning in North Lawndale. Syed said before he was carjacked he was on the way to pick up a passenger who he said had a fake nickname and no picture on their profile. After the man in the passenger seat punched her, Norman said, he ran around to the drivers side to try to pull her out of the car. Update 10:55 a.m. EDT March 31: The White House announced Thursday . Drivers say that puts them at higher risk. People coming in on these flights, theyre not in the business of robbing. Booked for a half-hour ride, the young insisted on vaping in his car despite signs prohibiting that and eating. Sheryl said she had no idea they needed separate insurance for that. ", "Safety is fundamental to Lyft, and we are working with law enforcement to help keep drivers safe. Left brain dead and died Wednesday morning, according to the report own cameras, so we make... 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