An Uber driver has been arrested and charged for allegedly shooting a teenage girl in the back and legs after an altercation in a Waffle House parking lot.
The Dunwoody Police Department released a statement saying that five women under the age of 18 ordered an Uber from the Waffle House parking lot on Oct. 5. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 38-year-old Meredith Grundy, arrived and told the group of girls that he was not able to take more than four passengers at the same time because he only had four seatbelts.
Uber Driver Arrested Over Shooting
The group of girls then started to argue with the Uber driver as the two parties disagreed about which one should be responsible for cancelling the trip on the Uber app. The official release noted that the argument escalated, and one of the females allegedly threatened to kill Grundy before striking him in the face.
After that, Grundy reportedly fired a firearm and struck the female who hit him, as the other females in the group told officers that the assault and threat did not occur before the shooting, according to Local12.
The victim, identified as a 16-year-old girl, was struck in the back and both of her legs. Authorities who responded to the scene of the incident transported her to a nearby hospital. Hospitals said that she was in critical but stable condition.
Now, Uber said that Grundy had already been effectively fired from the ride-hailing service. A spokesperson for the company said they are ready to provide support to law enforcement in their investigation.
Teenage Girl Shot
After the incident, officials took Grundy to the DeKalb Jail and charged him with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a felony. It was later revealed by the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office that the Uber driver was released on bond, ABC News reported.
Law enforcement authorities said that despite the latest developments in the case, the incident is still an "active investigation" due to the conflicting statements between the two parties. It was also not immediately clear whether or not Grundy has an attorney who can speak on his behalf or when he would next appear in court.
Dunwoody Police Sgt. Michael Cheek added that he currently has no information on whether the teenage girl who allegedly assaulted the Uber driver will be charged. He noted that they are first going to let her receive medical care, which is the current priority, as per KGNS.
