Uber smashed with hammer in violent road rage attack
A man has been arrested after he allegedly damaged an Uber driver's vehicle with a hammer in Melbourne on Thursday morning.
At around 7.30am on Thursday, Victoria Police officers were called to Lalwa Street in Blackburn, following reports a man was smashing a ride-share car with a hammer.
In the video of the incident, a man is seen swinging the hammer repeatedly at a vehicle as someone films the incident from across the road.
The sound of the hammer hitting the car can be heard over the noise of cars travelling along a nearby road.
It appears two people are right next to the man, filming him also.
Fortunately, the Uber driver was not injured during the incident, Victoria Police confirmed in a statement.
By the time police arrived at the scene, the offending male had already fled.
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However, police said the man was arrested without incident at a shopping centre in Forest Hill at around 1.30pm on Thursday.
The man was interviewed by police in relation to the matter and later in the evening police confirmed the man had been charged.
"A 42-year-old man, of no fixed address, has been charged following an incident in Blackburn on 26 May," Victoria Police said in a statement.
"He has been charged with criminal damage, theft and driving offences and bailed to appear at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on 14 October, 2022."
According to the Herald Sun, the 42-year-old man was picked up from Carlton and planned to get dropped off in Surrey Hills, which is roughly a 30 minute drive.
A spokesperson for Uber condemned the attack and said the company hopes the driver recovers from the traumatic incident.
“We are in contact with him, and have offered our support," the spokesperson told the Herald Sun.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy towards any type of violent behaviour and users found to have breached this policy may have their access to the app permanently removed.”
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