Uber driver charged for assaulting passengers pleads not guilty

BOSTON — A Uber driver accused of assaulting his passengers faced a judge at the Boston Municipal Court on Tuesday.

The driver, Haile Demasse, is out on bail tonight, but because he and the passengers are accusing each other of violent behavior, they all have been kicked off the app.

Demasse answered to felony charges in court, pleading not guilty to all accusations.

He's being accused of assaulting a group of eight passengers and even trying to run them over.

According to prosecutors, Demasse was driving for Uber early on Sunday morning when he was called to pick up a group of people near the intersection of Boylston and Tremont Streets in the Theater District.

The police report says eight people attempted to enter Demasse's car, which only fits up to six riders. The driver and the group of passengers then had an altercation, which is when Demasse's public defender says things started to get violent.

"He then proceeded to call 911, then was punched from behind in the head," said Demasse's public defender.

However, the passengers tell a much different story than Demasse. According to the report, they claimed he spit on one of the female passengers and then took an ice scraper and hit her with it.

"(He) swung it, hit her on the left side in her arm and back area," said the Suffolk County ADA Christina Juitt.

After than, prosecutors claim the passengers claimed things got even worse when Demasse proceeded to drive the wrong way and up on the sidewalk, nearly hitting several people.

"(He) drove onto the sidewalk, the sidewalk had numerous citizens walking on it," said Juitt.

Demasse then hit a building and damaged his car and was later arrested.

He pleaded not guilty to several charges, including two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for the car and the ice scraper.

Demasse is due back in court early next month for a pretrial hearing.

Cox Media Group