Uber driver charged with kidnap after passengers livestream chase

'I got four kids, I can't be riding like this - you've got to let us out'

A Virginia Uber driver was charged after trying to chase someone down and hit them with his car despite still carrying passengers, according to police.

Olufemi S Olomola, 38, was charged with two counts of abduction, reckless driving and felony hit and run. He’s currently in custody of the Richmond Police, CNN reports.

John Murray and his wife, Tameka Swann, called an Uber on Monday night to give them a ride to dinner.

Mr Murray said the driver, Mr Olomola, picked the couple up outside their home. After driving only a few blocks, Mr Olomola’s car was rear-ended.

“I thought we were just going to pull over and they would exchange information, but the other driver pulled around us and took off,” Mr Murray said. “I had no idea he was about to go fast and furious on us.”

In a four-minute Facebook live video taken by Mr Murray, he and his wife discuss the accident before Mr Olomola hands his phone to Ms Swann, asking her to talk to the 911 operators.

Mr Olomola then begins speeding up, blowing through red lights and stop signs while his passengers cry for him to stop from the back seat.

“I got four kids, I can’t be riding like this - you’ve got to let us out,” Ms Swann said.

“I can’t let this guy go,” Mr Olomola replied.

During the chase, Mr Olomola runs a red light and nearly hits a bicyclist before getting hit by another car. Mr Olomola took off again after the first car while the passengers and the 911 operator demand that he stop the chase.

Eventually, Mr Olomola let the couple out. Ms Swann said the experience was “the scariest moment of my life.”

Uber issued a statement to CNN saying that the driver had been removed from the app and that it was ready to work with any law enforcement investigations regarding the issue.

“This driver’s behaviour is deeply concerning and his access to the app has been removed,” the statement said.

Mr Murray and his wife were checked for injuries. They didn’t appear to suffer major injuries, though Ms Swann said she was sore and that her entire side hurt from the collisions.