Biotech CEO left stunned by Ubers response to alleged assault by illegal Russian driver | Latest Tech News
The CEO of a biotechnology company is suing rideshare giant Uber, claiming he was attacked by one of its drivers and left with a mind injury.
Bryan Kobel, CEO of TC BioPharm, claims the assault occurred after a dispute with a South Carolina driver in April. Kobel explained the dialog began as “innocuous,” but rapidly escalated when the driver allegedly knocked him unconscious.
“I was shocked. Uber is a $200 billion company. When you get in a car with the Uber sticker on it, it carries that brand weight. It carries the trust that you have in that brand,” Kobel explained Tuesday on “America’s Newsroom.”
Kobel said he was stunned by the company’s response.
“In fact, he picks up an Uber ride about two minutes later after leaving me for dead,” Kobel said, noting that he contacted the company with hospital data, a police report and images of his accidents.
“About 48 to 72 hours later, Uber just deactivated my account.”
Kobel argues that Uber has failed to correctly vet its drivers and has averted taking accountability for what occurred to him.
Kobel said that he was stunned by Uber’s response to the assault. Fox News
“You would have assumed, and I had up until that date, that they [Uber] do background checks. They vet these individuals. That they’ve got a stringent process that’s difficult to evade, and apparently that’s not the case.”
The driver has been recognized as Vadim Uliumdzhiev, 42, a Russian national who illegally entered the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security.
After the assault, he was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and battery, then launched on $10,000 bond. He has since been positioned in ICE custody.
An assault caught on digital camera reveals CEO Bryan Kobel getting headbutted and punched in a car parking zone on King Street in Charleston. Live5 WCSC
“I was taken aback,” Kobel said. “It made me wonder: How often has this person done it? How many other times is this going to happen?”
“It appears to me that this is sort of their [Uber’s] MO, which is: put yourselves, your end users, your riders, in a dangerous situation,” said Kobel.
“If something bad happens, disavow any sort of liability, any responsibility, any accountability, throw your hands up and say, ‘it’s got nothing to do with us.’”
Shown is suspect Vadim Uliumdzhiev, 42, charged with second degree assault. Live5 WCSC
According to Kobel, the incident started when he told the driver he can be touring with a service animal. The driver objected a number of occasions, saying it was not allowed. Kobel said he requested the driver to cancel the trip, who then confronted him on the road.
“I put my hand out saying, ‘get in your car,’ and that’s it. Next thing I know, I’m on my back in the hospital.”
Kobel’s lawsuit states he suffered a extreme concussion and head lacerations that required a number of staples.
An Uber spokesperson issued a assertion:
“There is no place for violence on the Uber platform. While we can’t comment on pending litigation, Uber is deeply committed to safety and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations around worker eligibility.”
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