Uber driver attacked days after Lyft killing
A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of slitting an Uber driver’s throat last week, according to court records.
Francisco Diaz of Goodyear was booked into jail after the Uber driver, who survived the attack, alerted police about the incident about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday.
The knife attack came less than a week after the stabbing death of a Lyft driver in Tempe.
The Uber driver told police he felt something strange after Diaz pointed out the area he wanted to be dropped off, in a neighborhood near 91st Avenue and Van Buren Street, Maricopa County court records state.
The driver “felt something run along his neck or throat area. the victim then felt as if a warm liquid was running down his neck and realized his throat has just been slit,” court records said.
Police said the Uber driver turned to Diaz and began struggling with him from the front driver seat. Diaz then fled, while the driver called police. He then tried driving himself to a hospital before police found him.
The driver suffered “several deep lacerations” to his left hand and “superficial lacerations” to his right in the process, court records state.
Diaz fled the scene. He was only found after police followed up with the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant the Uber driver picked him up from.
Police say Diaz had previously talked to a waitress at the restaurant.
“While flirting with her he told her he sold perfumes and left her with a business card,” police said.
Restaurant staff turned the business card over to investigators, which contained an email address, phone number, and a photo of a man matching the Uber driver’s description of Diaz.
Police say the business card also advertised the “best designer’s perfumes.”
Police searched the phone number on a law-enforcement internet search site, which yielded Diaz’s name. He was arrested at his home Thursday afternoon.
Police say Diaz had a knife on him at the time of the arrest.
The driver, who was not identified, was transported to a hospital with a laceration to his neck, and both hands, officials said.
“What the driver experienced is frightening,” Uber said in a statement. “There’s nothing more important than the safety of the drivers and riders we serve. We are relieved he is recovering and stand ready to help police in their investigation.”