A man has been charged over the alleged bashing of an Uber driver and the theft of his car in north-west Sydney.
The 23-year-old was arrested by detectives, supported by riot squad officers, during a raid on a home on Lanhams Road, Winston Hills at midday yesterday.
Police will allege during a search of the property they found a small fire in the backyard which contained the man’s mobile phone and clothes that were worn by him at the time of the alleged incident.
He was taken to Parramatta police station where he allegedly hindered officers in obtaining a fingerprint check.
The man has been charged today with five offences. including aggravated robbery, inflicting actual bodily harm and tampering with evidence.
He is scheduled to appear in court today.
Police launched their investigation early yesterday when emergency services responded to reports of an assault at the intersection of Kindelan Road and Gibbon Road, in Winston Hills.
Officers learned at about 12.35am, the 49-year-old male Uber driver accepted a booking from two 23-year-olds in Box Hill.
From there, they were driven to a service station in Rouse Hill, where they bought some food, and then to Winston Hills.
It will be alleged that during the journey one of the passengers became aggressive towards the driver while the second passenger attempted to clam the situation.
When at the intersection of Kindelan and Gibbon roads the driver was allegedly assaulted by the man.
Police will allege the driver ran from the vehicle â leaving his mobile phone in the vehicle – and sought help from a nearby resident who called triple zero.
The men have driven from the location in the ride-share vehicle â a white 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan.
Paramedics treated the Uber driver at the scene before he was taken to hospital with head and facial injuries. He has since been released.
Following inquiries, the driver’s phone was found damaged in a drain in Winston Hills about 8am.
About 9.30am the vehicle was recovered abandoned on Junction Road, Winston Hills, where it was seized for forensic examination.
In a statement, Uber condemned the alleged attack and said it had contacted the driver to offer support.
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