Uber passenger arrested for assaulting driver in Baltimore County
BALTIMORE COUNTY, M.d. (FOX 5 DC) - Maryland State Police have arrested an Uber passenger after he verbally and physically abused the driver Friday evening in Baltimore County.
Police received a 9-1-1 call around 3:50 p.m. on Friday, April 21 in reference to an Uber driver being held against his will while transporting a passenger.
The preliminary investigation revealed an Uber driver picked up a passenger, later identified as Eduardo Castillo, 30, in York, PA. The driver transported Castillo to several locations before driving him to Baltimore City.
Eduardo Castillo
During the transport, Castillo reportedly took the driver’s phone several times. The victim advised police that Castillo was also smoking an illegal substance in the front passenger seat, yelling at him and hitting him in the head while he was driving.
The driver, in fear for his own life, was able to send a single text message to his mother to ask her to call for help. The mother of the victim then contacted the police. An immediate lookout for the vehicle was issued.
Troopers at the Golden Ring Barrack located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on northbound I-83 in the area of York Road. Upon their approach, troopers observed Castillo with signs of drug impairment. Troopers also located illegal drugs inside the vehicle. Castillo was arrested on scene without incident.
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Castillo has been charged with second-degree assault, false imprisonment and other related drug charges. He was transported to St. Joseph Medical Center for treatment. He was later transported to the Baltimore County Detention Center where he was seen by a district court commissioner and later released.
The victim is not being identified at this time. He was the driver of a 2012 Hyundai Accent involved in the incident. He was transported by ambulance to Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) for possible exposure to controlled dangerous substances during the Uber transport.