An Uber driver was put behind bars the morning of Nov. 1 after reportedly menacing various customers in Santa Monica.
The suspect, 35 year-old Kaled Elasyedsa Ali from Anaheim, has been booked for kidnapping and felony evading arrest.
According to a statement from the Santa Monica Police Department, police received a call on Wednesday at about 6:45 p.m. from a woman in the area of 23rd Street and Santa Monica Boulevard, stating that an Uber driver refused to stop and was not letting her get out of the car. While officers were responding, three additional victims called and reported similar incidents, and added that the suspect may be armed with a gun and threatened to kidnap them.
Officers found the vehicle and tried to stop the driver, but he took off with two victims and led them on a pursuit that ended in the area of Montana Avenue and Bundy Drive, police said.
The victims suffered minor injuries for jumping out of the vehicle during the pursuit but were treated on the scene.
Ali remains in custody at SMPD Jail with a bail of $100,000.00 and upcoming court proceedings. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office-Airport Division Courthouse for filing consideration.
The incident happened on the same day Los Angeles officials announced that Uber drivers or riders who use the company's in-app emergency button will have key details of their trip automatically sent to 911 dispatchers in the Los Angeles Police Department's Communications Division. Yet, that feature is still not available for customers in Santa Monica.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call Detective Goodwin at (310) 458-8942 or the Santa Monica Police Department at (310) 458-8491.
