What to Know
- A gay couple from the East Village say a backseat hug put their Uber driver into a hate-filled rage Tuesday night
- One of the men claims he was dragged half a black down East Fourth Street while the other man was still in the car
- Uber said it has removed the driver from its app and that is it 'very concerning'
It was supposed to be a quick Uber ride, but a gay Manhattan couple claims the driver turned on them, leaving them scarred in more ways than one.
Taray Carey and Alex from the East Village say the driver gunned the car, dragging one of them along the ground down a busy street and they said it all started from a hate-filled tirade.
The couple tells News 4 in an exclusive interview that it was a hug in the backseat that set the Uber driver into a hateful rage Tuesday night.
“He’s telling us in his country we would be beheaded and left for dead,” said Carey, who was left scrapes and bruises after he said he was dragged for half a block down East Fourth Street.
Alex said he was still in the car, fearful.
“I said let me out let me out let me out just over and over until he stopped,” he said.
Local
Police responded to the scene, but the couple claim they refused to investigate it as a hate crime, claiming cops told one of the men he “probably deserved it.”
“I was very emotional,” Carey said.
The NYPD said bodycam footage shows that wasn’t the case.
“At no time did any of the officers mock the victim, tell him that he probably deserved it or laugh at him,” the NYPD said. Police also say Carey appeared drunk and insulted an officer.
The police report shows the incident was labeled as a vehicle leaving the scene of an accident.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission says the driver’s livery license is still active until they are able to interview the couple.
Uber said it has removed the driver from its app.
“What’s been reported is very concerning to us and Uber does not tolerate any form of discrimination,” the ridesharing company said in a statement.
