Police arrest teen in connection with Uber driver stabbing

Toronto police have arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with the stabbing of a rideshare driver in Scarborough last week.

According to a Toronto police news release, the incident happened around 1:30 p.m Wednesday near Kingston Road and Sheppard Avenue E.

Investigators say the teen got into the victim's vehicle as a fare. Upon arrival at his destination, police say, the teen then allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed the driver multiple times in the back and neck.

The driver got out of the vehicle, and then the teen got into the driver's seat. A struggle followed, investigators say, before the boy took off empty-handed.

The victim was taken to hospital, where he was treated for "numerous" stab wounds, police say.

The teen was arrested on Friday, according to the news release, and police allege at the time of his arrest officers found "items of evidentiary value related to the investigation."

The teenager faces charges of robbery with an offensive weapon and aggravated assault, police said. He was scheduled to appear in court over the weekend.

The incident has prompted renewed calls for increased safety measures for rideshare drivers.

Earla Phillips, an Uber and Lyft driver and vice-president of the Rideshare Drivers Association of Ontario, has been an advocate for more strict rider verification processes and financial assistance for drivers to purchase dashboard cameras.

"It hit me right in the heart because it could happen to any one of us. Any one of us could have a dangerous interaction with a passenger in our vehicles and we have virtually no safety support for this," said Phillips last week.

Pablo Godoy, a director for emerging sectors of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, also said last week that workers in this field don't feel like they have a say in enacting safety protections at work.

"There are no legal or legislative baselines that employers or companies in the spaces have to adhere to," Godoy said.

Uber said it has banned the rider and been in contact with the driver.

"What this driver went through is absolutely terrifying, and our thoughts are with him as he recovers from this senseless attack," an Uber spokesperson said in the statement last week.

Police are asking anyone with information to reach out to investigators or leave a tip anonymously via Crime Stoppers.