NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man was arrested more than a week after an Uber driver leaving Nashville International Airport with a passenger was reportedly followed, threatened, and robbed.
Authorities said the rideshare driver met the passenger at BNA’s pickup lot on Dec. 1. However, as they were exiting the airport, a man driving a black Chrysler 300S — identified as 23-year-old Omar Camarena — allegedly started following the Uber.
According to a court document, Camarena was brake checking the Uber and throwing items at the vehicle. The Uber driver eventually pulled over between the Donelson Pike and Briley Parkway exits along Interstate 40 West.
Per the affidavit, when the driver got out of his car, Camarena pushed him and said, in Spanish, “Give me your stuff or I will kill you.”
The Uber driver didn’t see a weapon, but out of fear for himself and his passenger, he reportedly handed over his unspecified property before the suspect fled westbound on I-40.
Based on the court document, a big break in the case came from the rideshare driver, who had in-car video that showed Camarena and his license plate. Using that evidence, police were able to track down the 23-year-old and take him into custody on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
NewsNation affiliate WKRN looked into Camarena, who has a checkered criminal history, including a violent outburst from six months before the rideshare robbery.
According to an affidavit for a domestic assault charge, Camarena was at a party in Madison on June 1 and his girlfriend was dancing with a 7-year-old boy. That’s when the 23-year-old allegedly threw a beer on his girlfriend, slapped her in the face, and pulled her to the ground by her hair.
Per the court document, other party-goers grabbed Camarena and forced him outside, where he brandished a pocket knife and threatened the crowd. Then, he reportedly retrieved a handgun from his vehicle.
“He shot into the crowd multiple times. The victim was not outside at that time,” the affidavit states. “The victim has multiple photos of past injuries sustained at the hands of [Camarena].”
According to the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, Camarena is being held in the Downtown Detention Center on a $75,000 bond for a felony robbery charge.
With regard to the Dec. 1 incident, Uber sent WKRN a statement saying, “We can’t imagine how terrifying this must have been for the driver and rider. we take the safety of the uber community seriously and stand ready to support law enforcement with their investigation however we can.”
Uber said safety is a top priority, adding that it’s pioneered many safety features that are standard in the modern rideshare industry. The company provided the following list of those features:
- The emergency button, which allows users to call or text 911, providing the real-time location and trip information
- 911 integration in more than 1,800 jurisdictions through a partnership with Rapid SOS
- “Live help” from an ADT safety agent for situations that don’t require police, fire, or medical assistance
- The “Record My Ride” feature that enables drivers to record audio and video during a trip with their front-facing camera
- “RideCheck,” which helps make sure drivers and riders are alright in the event of a possible crash or an unexpectedly long stop
- The “Follow My Ride” feature in the app for drivers enables them to share their route in real-time with loved ones.
- The Driver Safety Awareness Center is a new in-app feature that houses all of the safety tips Uber has developed with the help of law enforcement
- GPS tracking for every trip
According to Uber, it has a team of former law enforcement professionals around the world who are on-call 24/7 to respond to urgent needs from authorities and walk them through how the company can help in an investigation. Uber’s Incident Response Team is also available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so it can review any information submitted through the app or through the Safety Incident Reporting line, and investigate any issues as needed.