Vicious Attack on Uber Driver Caught on Camera

On Friday night, a video camera installed by an Uber driver recorded an argument between a seemingly drunk passenger and the driver that turned violent when the driver asked the passenger to leave.

Police said the passenger was Benjamin Golden, 32, and the driver, Edward Caban. Caban posted the video of the incident on YouTube. The incident escalated as follows:

Caban: You want me to turn left on Harbor, is that right?

As the car reaches a stoplight, Caban repeats, “You want me to turn left on Harbor?”

Golden: Yeah, actually no. keep going straight ,,wait …

Caban: Am I getting on the 55?

Golden: No, you’re gonna … why (belch) did you go this far? You’re gonna need to turn left onto –

Caban: Dude, you’ve got to give me directions.

Golden: Why do I have to give you directions?

Caban: Because–because,

Golden: I gave you my address on the phone.

Caban: No. you didn’t; you refused to.

Golden: All right.

Caban: The address I got is the Black Knight.

Golden: Well, you better turn your ass around.

As Caban waits in a left turn lane, Golden says, “You’re gonna turn where I said when I came. Do you know where you’re at? (hiccup).”

Caban: Yeah.

Golden: Right.

As Caban makes a U-Turn, Golden falls over on his side on the seat.

Caban: All right, man, I gotta kick you out.

Golden: No, you don’t.

Caban: Yeah.

Golden: No, you just need to go to –

Caban: No, I’m kicking you out, man.

Golden: Why are you kicking me out?

Caban: You’re too drunk to give me directions, man.

Golden: No, I’m not too drunk to give you directions. I’m giving you the directions.

Caban: No, I’m kicking you out. No, that’s it. Trip’s ended.

Golden: No, I’m giving you the directions.

Caban: Trip’s already ended, man.

Golden: No, I’m giving you the directions to get to –

Caban: No. I’m kicking you out.

Golden: Park Newport That’s all you need to go is Park Newport

Caban: Nope. I’m kicking you out, man.

Golden: Are you serious?

Caban: I am serious.

Golden: All you need to go is Park Newport

Caban: I’m kicking you out.

Golden: I’m giving you the directions to Park Newport.

Caban: I’ve already ended the trio.

Golden: Well, then, I mean, give me a new trip.

Caban: That’s .. not … no. Get out of my car.

Golden: Park Newport.

Caban: Get out of my car. Get out of my car. Get out of my car or I will call the police.

Golden opens the door. As Caban turns his head to watch him get out, Golden yells, “I’ll tell you something you little s***” and starts punching Caban on the side of the head, yelling, “F***king b****,” grabbing Caban by the hair, whereupon Caban pepper sprays him in the face, prompting Golden to exit the car and start walking away.

Caban follows him, yelling, “Call the police!”

Caban spoke to ABC7, saying, “I didn’t think something like this would happen this early in the night. That’s why I stopped driving 2 a.m. shifts, for this very reason.”

Caban has quit driving for Uber. He said he had had issues with passengers before, prompting him to install a camera. He asserted he had never been attacked before.

Golden was arrested at the scene and charged with assault on a cab driver and public intoxication.

In September, a Chula Vista woman who was drinking vomited in a Lyft driving her home; when she offered to pay $100 for the damage to the car and entered her house to get the money, the driver followed her and assaulted her in her bedroom, eventually fleeing the scene, according to ABC10.