Uber driver assaults angry female passenger in Hanoi: report

Police in Hanoi are investigating an Uber driver who allegedly assaulted a passenger and sent her threatening messages.

Nguyen Dieu Linh, 39, reported the driver to police on Tuesday after receiving threatening messages from the driver about a post she wrote on Facebook regarding the incident, news website Voice of Vietnam reported.

Linh said she had booked an Uber car from Dong Da District to travel home for an estimated fee of VND20,000, or less than a dollar, on Sunday night.

When they reached the last turn, the driver said the road ahead was one-way so he couldn't drive down it.

Linh asked him to take another route because she had her young son and lots of bags to carry, but the driver refused and said she could get out there without having to pay him.

Linh said she was angry and closed the door “harder than usual” after saying: “It's not about the money.”

“The driver then chased after me and punched me in the face,” she said.

She was left bleeding from the mouth and chin.

She shared the story on Facebook and subsequently received several threatening calls and messages from strange numbers.

A police officer said they had questioned the driver on Wednesday and he admitted to the assault, saying that he “was too angry."

A representative from Uber Vietnam said on Tuesday that the incident was "regrettable" and the company does not tolerate violence, said Voice of Vietnam.

The investigation is continuing.