A 72-year-old man was assaulted while working as an Uber driver in Indio, requiring hospitalization, police said Wednesday.
The driver, whose name was not released, accepted a ride request and responded to the designated pickup spot shortly after 2 a.m. June 21 in the area of Villanova Street and Amherst Avenue, according to the Indio Police Department.
Upon arrival, the customer had a bicycle that could not fit inside the vehicle, prompting a verbal dispute between the two parties. Police said the dispute escalated to a physical assault when the unidentified customer hit the driver, who sustained unspecified injuries.
The driver drove himself back home and called the police department shortly after 2:50 a.m. Paramedics arrived at the scene a short time later and took the man to a hospital.
“Due to the severity of his injuries, the victim was hospitalized overnight,” the department stated.
The investigation was ongoing, and anyone with additional information regarding the assault was asked to call the department at 760-391-4057, or report tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 76-341-7867.