Uber driver in Sacramento carjacked and robbed at gunpoint; search for suspect continues
Detectives on Tuesday were searching for suspects who carjacked and robbed an Uber driver at gunpoint last week in Sacramento.
The late-night carjacking was one of two reported crimes in three days in which Uber drivers were victimized by riders in the Sacramento area.
The carjacking occurred about 10:30 p.m. after the driver picked up riders and arrived at the destination near McClatchy and Dudley ways in Sacramento’s Upper Land Park neighborhood, according to the Sacramento Police Department.
The Uber driver told KCRA that the ride started near Broadway and Riverside Boulevard, and the armed suspect held him at gunpoint as the driver was patted down. The suspect took the driver’s phone, wallet and keys.
Police said at least one of the suspects was armed with a gun and stole the Uber driver’s belongings and drove away in his vehicle. Officers found the stolen vehicle abandoned a short time later in the 4800 block of Camino Royale Drive in the Valley Hi/North Laguna neighborhood.
Detectives took over the investigation. Police said on Tuesday no arrests had been made.
Two days after the Sacramento carjacking, an Uber driver was reportedly assaulted Saturday evening in Roseville. The driver said he was attacked by six people who were riders in his vehicle, Roseville police has said.
The assault occurred in the 3900 block of Douglas Boulevard in Roseville. Police said no theft occurred, the Uber driver could not provide a suspect description and the driver chose to seek medical treatment on his own after he was assessed medically at the scene. No arrests have been reported in the Roseville assault.
Uber officials said driver safety is crucial, which is why they’ve implemented safety features now standard in the ride-share industry, including an in-app emergency button. Uber has deactivated the account for the rider in last week’s carjacking in Sacramento. In the Roseville assault, Uber officials said they have removed the rider’s access to its ride-share platform and are continuing to look into the incident.
“These reports are extremely unnerving,” an Uber spokesman said in a statement emailed to The Sacramento Bee on Tuesday evening. “We have reached out to both drivers to check on their well-being and will stand ready to assist law enforcement in their investigations.”
This story was originally published December 20, 2022 at 1:23 PM.
