Here’s the Uber Driver Charged With Attacking His Passenger in Philly
Last week, we told you that police were looking for the Uber driver who allegedly assaulted his passenger after a pickup in University City, and now we’ve learned that investigators have made an arrest.
North Philadelphia resident Major Fuller, 56, was arrested this week and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person. He is being held at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Northeast Philadelphia in lieu of $10,000 bail.
The incident occurred on December 22nd at 39th and Market streets, where 30-year-old Joseph Fusco of Cherry Hill awaited an Uber ride after a holiday party for his employer, the security company Allied Universal. (Fusco is the head of public safety for Cabrini College.)
At around 11 p.m., Fusco says that Fuller pulled up in his Uber vehicle. A dispute about Fuller’s destination ensued and ended with Fuller allegedly dragging Fusco out of the car by his collar, punching him unconscious, and then stomping and kicking him as he lay on the ground in a pool of blood.
Bystanders called 911, and Fusco was taken to Presbyterian Hospital, where he was treated for a fractured left cheek and broken nose. Two of his teeth were knocked out as well.
“While we are pleased the individual has been apprehended and we applaud the [police] for their persistence in bringing a dangerous individual to justice, what happened to Mr. Fusco was entirely avoidable,” says Marlton-based attorney Matthew Luber, who filed a federal lawsuit against Uber on behalf of Fusco shortly after the attack. “Such heinous violence by Uber’s drivers is all too common and is in stark contrast to Uber’s safety propaganda.”
Uber has not commented on the case other than to say that the driver was immediately removed from the service after Uber received notification of the assault and that Uber has cooperated with police in the matter.
According to court records, Fuller’s only previous arrest in Pennsylvania occurred back in 1984, when he was picked up in Philadelphia on a firearms charge. He received two years’ probation.
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