Texas Lyft driver says rider slashed his throat, attempted to choke him, stole his car
A Lyft driver was brutally attacked while giving a ride in Texas, saying a rider slashed his throat, attempted to choke him and stole his car.
Dilaver Berk, 25, has since been released from the hospital, but he remains bedridden and says he is thankful to be alive, according to Fox 4.
The ride-share driver picked up a man for a ride on Monday when he was attacked from behind and had his car stolen, according to Frisco Police.
The suspect, 19-year-old Antwain Williams, was charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and evading arrest. He also had an outstanding warrant for allegedly encouraging a child to perform a sex act.
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Berk now has stitches across his neck and bandages covering deep gashes to his hands.
Berk told police he picked up Williams while driving for Lyft Monday evening in Frisco, Texas.
When they reached Williams' destination at Legends at Legacy Apartments on 3700 Legacy Drive shortly before 6 p.m., Berk says the suspect attacked him from behind with a knife and then with a cable or wire in an attempt to choke him.
"The rider took a knife to Dilaver's throat and slashed his throat. He did that a couple of times," Berk's friend, Dustin Tovi, told Fox 4.
"Dilaver put his hands right in front of the knife and asked the rider, 'Hey, whatever you want. Leave me alone.' And then he had a wire to put around his neck. And Dilaver reached out as well. And he got a lot of injuries to his fingers and his neck because he was stabbed a couple of times," Tovi continued.
Frisco Police said Williams stole Berk's Toyota Camry and left him in the apartment building's parking lot. A woman nearby assisted Berk and called 911 to report the incident.
Hours later, a patrol officer located the vehicle near Highway 423 and Rockhill. Police attempted to pull the driver over, but he sped away in an effort to evade police.
Police said Williams crashed and attempted to flee on foot but was eventually arrested.
Berk moved from Turkey to Texas last year and sends money to his parents back home.
"He's somebody that works really hard, and it's really sad to see what happened to him," Tovi said. "Nobody deserves that, especially Dilaver, because he works so hard."
Williams remains in custody in the Denton County Jail.