Driver accused of pulling gun on rideshare passengers in Orlando, police say
Driver accused of pulling gun on rideshare passengers
A man accused of pulling a gun on two rideshare passengers in Orange County has been arrested.
ORLANDO, Fla. - A man accused of driving erratically before pulling a gun on rideshare passengers after they refused to pay has been arrested, according to Orange County court documents.
What we know:
Joshua Ortega, 30, was using another Lyft driver’s account when he picked up a couple in Orlando on Saturday, according to an arrest affidavit.
The couple told police they ordered a Lyft to take them to Kissimmee. When the vehicle arrived, they said they noticed Ortega was the driver even though the account was under a female name.
Ortega canceled the ride and asked the couple to pay him cash, and they agreed, according to the affidavit. While riding in the vehicle, the couple noticed Ortega was speeding and driving the wrong way. They told police they also smelled alcohol and marijuana coming from Ortega.
The couple said they felt unsafe in the vehicle and asked Ortega to pull over. At first, Ortega refused before he eventually pulled over in the parking lot of Airport Liquors off T.G. Lee Boulevard, according to the police report.
The couple told police they got out of the vehicle and walked into the store after refusing to pay Ortega for the ride. The store clerk told police the couple asked to call the cops on their Lyft driver, who "appeared intoxicated."
According to the report, the clerk said he saw Ortega hitting curbs before he got out of the vehicle and approached the store "in an aggressive manner." Ortega attempted to follow the couple inside the store when the clerk intervened, the affidavit said. Ortega attempted to enter again and pulled out a gun. He then left the scene.
Ortega was later arrested in the parking lot of a Walmart off of Semoran Boulevard, according to the arrest affidavit.
Ortega was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is being held on no bond.
The Source: This article was written using information from Orlando Police Department.