In the wake of attacks on Asian Americans, a Lyft driver is left wondering if his race played a role in the attack he suffered in Queens.
Ashish Sapkota says he picked up two passengers last Tuesday and they began fighting in the backseat of his vehicle. The driver who immigrated from Nepal recalled telling the passengers to stop fighting, but things got so heated that he had to pull over on the side of the Van Wyck Expressway.
That's when Sapkota says the passengers attacked him, and all of it was caught on his dash camera. The footage shows one of the passengers punching Sapkota several times in the the face. The driver was so stunned that he kept driving driving to Hillside Avenue, where the passengers eventually got out of the car.
Sapkota says he's not doing well after the attack. He's now out of work, too afraid to head back out on the road.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
"I have family in Nepal, a son, a wife. They depend on me. How would they get food? I don't know," Sapkota said.
Police say they're investigating the incident but so far, no arrests have been made.
In a statement, Lyft said the attacker is no longer able to book rides with the ride-share company.
Local
"Safety is fundamental to Lyft and the behavior shown is unacceptable. We have been in touch with the driver to offer our support, removed the rider from the Lyft community and are in contact with law enforcement to assist with their investigation," said a Lyft spokesperson.
