Accepting a shared taxi ride with a stranger can turn into an awkward situation, so getting one with a roommate would seem to be a safer, more comfortable option. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened at a Walmart in Florida when a man became so angry with his fellow roommate inside an Uber, apparently for taking up too much space, that he struck him in the face. This ultimately led to the man getting taken away in handcuffs and being charged with battery.
Victim was struck with a heavy Walmart grocery bag
On October 17, 60-year-old Burton McDonald was arrested by deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s office for hitting his roommate, a 65-year-old man, in a shared Uber ride, according to a report by Law & Crime. The angry encounter occurred outside of a Walmart in Ocala, Florida.
According to the arrest affidavit, McDonald and his roommate had gone together to the Walmart to purchase groceries and various items for their group home, then ordered an Uber rideshare “due to neither of them being capable of driving.”
However, their fight started when the roommate began loading items into the vehicle while McDonald was in the backseat. Specifically, he was trying to fit “several large plants,” leaving very little room for McDonald to move. That’s when the victim was struck by something he couldn’t identify at first.
The arrest affidavit stated, “When loading items back into the Uber’s vehicle, the defendant [McDonald] became upset with him over how much space he was taking up in the Uber. … The defendant then struck him in the face, causing redness to his left cheek.”
The victim said “he was unsure exactly what he was struck with,” but he thought “he was struck with something hard.” When the deputies arrived on the scene at the Walmart, they confirmed that the roommate had redness on his left cheek. It was later determined that McDonald had swung a Walmart grocery bag that had a “tub of ice cream” at the victim.
The affidavit gave some more background as to why McDonald became irritated: “[McDonald] advised he was unhappy with all of the items the victim purchased as it was taking up too much space in the Uber. He advised due to the victim ‘mouthing off’ at him, he struck the victim.” The roommate has also “nudged him on his side” before he swung the bag.
Whatever the reason for the altercation, the Uber driver witnessed the confrontation and said that McDonald was the aggressor in the case, backing up the victim’s version of events. The driver “observed the defendant and victim arguing in the rear of his vehicle” and “observed the defendant strike the victim in the face with a Walmart grocery bag containing a tub of ice cream.” He said that the “victim never touched, pushed, or struck the defendant.”
Per Ellis Law, Uber drivers can report riders to make sure that everyone feels safe and respected. The company suggests that the driver end the trip immediately and report the incident to the company as soon as possible. Uber has a specific online form where drivers and passengers can report unsafe or dangerous passenger behavior. Riders who engage in physical fights can face permanent loss of access to the platform.
According to inmate records at the Marion County Jail, McDonald was booked on October 17 at 11:44 a.m. He was charged with one count of battery on a person 65 years of age or older, and he is being held on $1,000 bond. His next court appearance will be on November 17 at 9:00 a.m.
It’s unclear whether McDonald and the victim are still roommates after the incident (but we wouldn’t bet on it).
