DiDi driver assaulted by drunk passengers

A rideshare driver says an attack by two drunk men in south-east Perthleft him fearing for his life.

The 36-year-old is still reeling from the attack, which left him bruised, bitten and battered in a pick-up gone wrong.

Rukundo Jean-Marie is now urging DiDi to take stronger actions to protect its drivers after he was attacked in Armadale about 3am on Sunday.

Rukundo Jean-Marie
A rideshare driver says he was ambushed by two men in south-east Perth, leaving him fearing for his life. (9News)

He said he refused to transport the men because they were drunk.

“I thought I was dead because I called, like so many times, ‘help, help’, [but] nobody was helping me,” Jean-Marie told 9News.

Footage appears to show one man punching his face and kicking his car as he tries to get out.

“He just punched me in my nose [and] my left cheek because I refused to take him,” the driver recalled.

“And then I fell unconscious.”

Jean-Marie hit the SOS button in his car and called police but the attack escalated.

Rukundo Jean-Marie
He said one man bit his arm, the other bit his finger. (9News)
Rukundo Jean-Marie
Jean-Marie hit the SOS button in his car and called police but the attack escalated. (9News)

Jean-Marie said one man bit his arm, the other his finger.

Police arrived shortly after, taking him to Armadale Hospital for treatment.

Jean-Marie said his injuries would keep him from working for up to four weeks, leaving him out of pocket by up to $8,000.

He’s now urging DiDi to step up and provide better support to ensure driver safety.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *