Driver with Uber sticker punches 65-year-old Oakland man: family

OAKLAND, Calif. - A driver with an Uber sticker on his car punched a 65-year-old Oakland man who had asked him to move from his driveway, according to a daughter who filed a police report to try to find the driver.

Victor Giron was taken to the hospital after the unprovoked attack on Monday afternoon, and suffered a bloody face and sparked concern from family and doctors because he has been taking 12 medicines following a quadruple bypass surgery that makes his blood thin, his daughter Jennifer Nelson told KTVU.

The family has since filed a police report with Oakland, and Nelson said that the case, as of Wednesday, had not been assigned to any detective. Nelson provided a copy of that report as proof.

Uber also did not respond immediately to KTVU's request to find out who the driver is. KTVU sent the ridesharing company the description of the car and a license plate provided by Nelson. An Uber representative told Nelson by phone on Monday that the company would conduct an "internal investigation" but she said she hasn't heard from anyone in two days. It is also unclear whether the suspect is an Uber driver, or whether he was driving in a car that bore the Uber sticker.

Nelson said her dad works as a handyman for a Realtor and was headed out from his home on High and Rita streets about 4:30 p.m. on Monday to see what work needed to be done.

He hopped in his truck and was trying to get out of the driveway when "he was blocked out of nowhere by an Uber driver," Nelson said. 

Giron lowered his window and asked the driver to move, Nelson said.  Her father's English is limited, she said, so his request might have been monosyllabic, like "Move!" she explained. He then grabbed his phone to take a  picture of the car, noticing that the black, 2016 Hyundai Elantra sedan had an Uber sticker on it and was illegally parked in front of him.

"This is when the Uber driver proceeded to punch my father in the face twice causing a laceration on his left cheek," Nelson said. 

Nelson's mother heard the commotion and ran downstairs to see what was happening, as she was pulling her phone as well, the driver got inside his car and in the process of speeding off, almost hitting her, Nelson said.

"One neighbor was kind enough to step in and guard my dad of any additional attack while another one was able to take pictures of the fleeing car," Nelson said.

Police came, but the driver had taken off. Giron went to the hospital and has since been released.

Still, the ordeal has left the family upset.

"He's pretty shaken," Nelson said.