JACKSON – Police are searching for three men who allegedly robbed an Uber driver in Jackson.
According to Jackson Police Capt. Steven Laskiewicz, the incident began in the early afternoon hours of March 20 when the Uber driver picked up three men in Manhattan and was asked to take them to a home on Wilson Boulevard in Jackson. Police did not release any information about the Uber driver.
Uber is a transportation service in which customers use an application (app) on their smartphone to request and pay for a ride from partnered drivers who are also connected to the app.
As the driver neared the passengers’ destination in Jackson, one passenger allegedly used a cell phone to arrange a meeting with an unidentified person. The Uber driver later told police the passengers’ destination was missed and the ride continued onto Don Connor Boulevard, heading toward Bowman Road.
Laskiewicz said the driver told police that once the three men realized they were no longer headed toward their destination, they became angry. One passenger allegedly threatened the driver with what police believe was a loaded gunmetal revolver.
The driver eventually pulled into and parked at the Forest Resource Education Center on Don Connor Boulevard. At that time the passengers stole cash, a cell phone and keys from the driver. The passengers threw the keys into the woods and got into a waiting red Pontiac which was driven by an unknown individual, according to police. The Pontiac sped off toward Bowman Road.
By about 2:15 p.m., Lt. John Giovanetti was flagged down by the Uber driver while the officer was on patrol in the area of the Forest Resource Education Center.
Police are searching for the three male passengers who were described as follows:
• One man was described as being black, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt that had an adidas logo. The man was carrying a backpack.
• One man was described as being black or Hispanic. He was wearing a red shirt, gray jeans and what was described as a shiny black jacket.
• One man was described as being black, about 6 feet tall, with curly hair and no facial hair. He was wearing a tan jacket, a white shirt, blue jeans and tan Timberland-style boots. The Uber driver told police this man was the passenger who possessed the gun.