Uber driver charged with attempted murder in South San Francisco

On Dec. 13 at around 10:40 a.m., Alshwaiat was allegedly working as an Uber driver when he picked up a man at his home in San Francisco to drive him to his work in South San Francisco. The two allegedly got into an argument over comments Alshwaiat believed were rude and because the man allegedly didn’t say please when giving Alshwaiat directions to his office, according to prosecutors.

The argument allegedly escalated by the time Alshwaiat arrived at the man’s workplace, where he exited his vehicle and found a metal pipe on the ground nearby. Concerned for his safety, the man getting a ride from Alshwaiat allegedly locked the car doors and took the keys out of the ignition, according to prosecutors.

Alshwaiat allegedly went to the passenger side of the car where one of the windows was open and unlocked the doors so he could open the door where the man was sitting. He allegedly started hitting the man with the pipe and caused a 1-inch laceration that bled profusely, according to prosecutors.

The man fell to the ground, at which point Alshwaiat allegedly got on top of him and continued to hit him with the pipe. Witnesses at the man’s office reported seeing Alshwaiat hit him some six times, according to prosecutors.

A bystander eventually restrained Alshwaiat, police officers arrived at the scene and both men were allegedly taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where the man who was hit received sutures and Alshwaiat was treated for bruises, according to prosecutors.

At his arraignment Monday, Alshwaiat’s defense attorney allegedly said his client is an electrical engineer and claimed the alleged victim was intoxicated and started the fight when he took the keys out of Alshwaiat’s car’s ignition, according to prosecutors.

Alshwaiat is next expected to appear in court Jan. 16 for preliminary hearing, according to prosecutors.