Bizarre: Rideshare Driver And Passenger Get Into Violent Fight Over Taylor Swift

A rideshare driver and a rider got into a physical fight that escalated after a request by the rider to put on Taylor Swift music.

Rideshare Driver Pulls Knife, Attacks Man After Disagreement Over Religion, Taylor Swift

Here’s what unfolded, according to the passenger, César Ayala:

Ayala was traveling via Bolt, a popular ridesharing app, in Asunción, Paraguay
His driver, Pablo Leiva, was chatty and began proselytizing, but Ayala quickly shut him down, saying that he had consumed too much alcohol and did not want to talk, suggesting the driver put Taylor Swift on
The driver called him “disgusting” for listening to Tayor Swift, referring to the popular singer as a “slut”
Ayala protested, but the driver told him to pay up and get out of the car (they were not to their destination)
Ayala pulled out his phone and began recording the driver
The driver responded by pulling out a knife and striking Ayala under the eye with the butt of the knife.
Ayala called another Bolt driver who transported him to a police station where he tried to file a report, but was denied because he did not have a “medical diagnosis”

But Paola Leiva, the daughter of the driver, took to social media to post her father’s side of the account:

The passenger mocked her dad’s Christian faith and then reached out and touched him on the shoulder
The knife was used because “my dad wanted him to get out of the car but he didn’t want to get out”
But she conceded, “The aggression is not justifiable. Justice will take charge”

Bolt said it had suspended the driver’s account:

“We are aware of the incident involving a driver who used the services through the platform, accused of assaulting a passenger. We take these allegations very seriously. Upon learning of the incident, the driver’s account was immediately deactivated.

“We strongly condemn any form of violence and discrimination. Every person has the right to be treated with respect and dignity, and we are committed to maintaining a safe environment for all. We will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure the safety of all users.”

Yes, this was about Taylor Swift, but also about religion and respect. While I place almost 100% of the blame on the driver, I do place some on the passenger if he deliberately touched the driver and then refused to get out of the car. You run away from troubled people rather than engaging them…

But whatever his culpability, nothing justifies the coarse language, unwanted proselytizing, and violence perpetrated by the driver.

image: cesar_ayala_180 / Instagram