Uber driver accused of attempted murder of officer, holding woman hostage for 9 hours
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Authorities have arrested an Uber driver on suspicion of trying to kill a law enforcement officer while fleeing a traffic stop in Lennox — then holding a woman hostage in his vehicle for nine hours in Beverly Hills.The suspect, identified as Osvaldo Del Rio, was taken into custody around 2 a.m.Monday after members of the L.A.
County Sheriff’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau used chemical agents to force him from his vehicle.The Sheriff’s Department recovered a massive stash of weapons — including rifles, handguns and ammunition — when serving a search warrant in connection to the incident.
A representative for Uber did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Monday but said in a statement to NBC4 that Del Rio had been removed from the platform and that the company would support law enforcement with its investigation.“This must have been a terrifying experience,” Uber said in its statement.“We’re grateful to law enforcement for their response and relieved that no one was seriously injured.”The dramatic chain of events kicked off at 2:55 a.m.
Sunday when a sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop of a gray Ford pickup truck for vehicle code violations near the intersection of 104th Street and Hawthorne Avenue in Lennox.The deputy saw a handgun in Del Rio’s waistband and attempted to pull him out of the truck.But Del Rio started to drive away, dragging the deputy 150 feet, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
The deputy was transported to a hospital and later released.At around 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, Beverly Hills police received an alert from the automated license plate recognition system detecting the suspect’s vehicle.Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, leading to a short pursuit that culminated in Del Rio’s vehicle colliding with a second car, police said.Del Rio, who was believed to be armed with a handgun, re...