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Rideshare driver says dispute over tip led to shooting
An Osceola County rideshare driver says he narrowly escaped death after his car was riddled with bullets during a dispute over payment, an incident that deputies say stemmed from an argument over a tip.
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - An Osceola County rideshare driver says he narrowly escaped death after his car was riddled with bullets during a dispute over payment, an incident that deputies say stemmed from an argument over a tip.
Deputies arrested 21-year-old Alexis Encarnacion-Rosado, a convicted felon, is being held at the Osceola County Jail.
He faces multiple charges.
The backstory:
Muhammad Mahmood said he picked up a passenger, later identified as Encarnacion-Rosado, and agreed to make a stop, so the passenger could get food.
Mahmood said the stop lasted nearly 30 minutes, prompting him to ask for additional compensation for the trip.
Mahmood said the passenger became angry, spat in his face and got out of the vehicle before pulling out a gun and opening fire.
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Several bullets struck the back and side of Mahmood’s car, shattering the rear window and leaving bullet holes throughout the interior, including the back seat, passenger seat and glove box. Mahmood said one bullet was later found between his legs on the seat, though he was uninjured.
Encarnacion-Rosado is now facing charges of shooting into an occupied vehicle, discharging a firearm in public, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, battery, and felony criminal mischief.
The victim’s account
What they're saying:
The rideshare driver, Muhammad Mahmood, said he tried to get away as quickly as possible and called 911 once he was out of harms way.
"He was not firing in the air. He was firing on me," said Mahmood. "I was really trembling because any bullet can go anywhere."
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Mahmood said he was not hit by bullets, but one was found in the driver's seat.
"There was a bullet inside my thighs on the seat," said Mahmood.
As a father and a husband, Mahmood says he’s thankful to be alive and back home with his family, but almost two weeks later, he still hasn’t gone back to work as a rideshare driver.
"You have seen my car. It was all around me," said Mahmood. "God saved me."
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office and Muhammad Mahmood.