Woman accused of attacked Uber driver

MELBOURNE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A woman in Melbourne was arrested after police say she attacked an Uber driver Thursday night.

Melbourne Police say the Uber driver didn’t want to drive through his rider’s neighborhood because he had been a victim of crime there before, but exactly what he was trying to avoid is what happened once again.

“I've just been attacked by one of my Uber riders,” the Uber driver said on a 911 call.

The desperation in this Uber driver’s voice on the 911 calls is chilling.

“She started hitting me in the face. I told her to get out and she wouldn't get out and she started attacking me.”

The Uber driver was driving late Thursday night when Melbourne Police say he picked up Lamishia West. But Melbourne Police say it’s when the driver got to the intersection of W.H. Jackson and Lipscomb Street that he got nervous.

“I said I'm not going through to the end of Lipscomb. I've had people attack my car there, and I'm not ever going there,” he said on the 911 call.

According to the police report, the Uber driver pulled over nearby and offered to take a longer route to get to her house or to let her out and end the ride. But she refused to get out of the car. The report says she instead attacked him, punching him in the face, holding his arm down to keep him from dialing 911.

West arrived home after bonding out of jail as FOX 35 showed up to her house.

“I'm innocent! I'm innocent! I'm innocent! Will you leave me alone?” West told Fox 35.

Lamishia West is charged with battery on a person over the age of 65 and tampering with evidence.