Florida Man Arrested After Choking Uber Driver and Stealing Vehicle

One Florida man identified as Derek Clifton Strang was arrested after he was accused of choking an Uber driver and trying to steal his vehicle.

Strang was charged with one count of carjacking with a firearm or other deadly weapon, according to online court records of Brevard County.

The Uber driver told police that a man choked him and kicked him out of his red Jeep Cherokee while he was giving the Florida man a ride.

Strang was sitting in the back passenger's seat of the vehicle and reportedly slid into the seat behind the driver and started choking him.

Florida Man Choking Uber Driver

The arrest report noted that the sheriff's office received a call from the driver reporting that a man choked and kicked him out of his red Jeep.

Deputies noted that the Uber driver picked up Strang on Wednesday in Merritt Island around 11:20 p.m.

The driver approached a Chili's restaurant in Merritt Island and Strang slid over to the driver's side. He then placed both of his arms around the driver's throat and started choking him.

The driver was able to pull over to the Chili's parking lot and was able to get free. He went out of the car and called 911.

The Uber driver said in the released 911 call that "someone tried to steal my car," and the passenger tried to drive it "but he couldn't."

Strang also called 911 and claimed to the dispatcher that he was being kidnapped by the Uber driver.

Strang tried to drive away but he never made it out of the parking lot.

Investigators noted that deputies found a pocketknife on him once he was handcuffed.

Meanwhile, Brevard County deputies are still looking at the incidents to what led to the assault.

Crimes Involving an Uber Driver

In November, another Florida man called an Uber driver, robbed a bank, and fled after stealing the car he had arrived at the bank.

The accused Florida man took an Uber to the Chase Bank, entered the bank, pulled out a handgun, and left the gun with an unreported amount of money. He then went on to get in the Uber and left the scene of the crime.

The Florida man suspect was identified as Javier Rafael Camacho-Cepede.

The Uber driver called the police to report the crime and said that the suspect carjacked his vehicle.

Des Moines Police report noted that what was unique about the incident was the suspect took the Uber and took the Uber vehicle away while he was fleeing.

The 22-year-old suspect faced two counts of first-degree robbery.

In New Orleans, a woman working as an Uber driver was stabbed to death in the parking lot of a hotel in December.

Police said that the victim was killed by a man who "just wanted to kill someone," according to authorities.

Sheriff Joseph Lopinto confirmed that the woman died from her injuries after she was brought to the hospital.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

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