Story at a glance
- Recently obtained video footage shows Bay Area police officers releasing a dog without warning on an Uber driver who was late making payments on the car he rented to do his job.
- The driver, Ali Badr, began renting a Toyota Camry from the rental car startup CarMommy, which specializes in renting vehicles for carshare workers, in late 2020.
- After a few late payments from Badr, CarMommy reported the vehicle as stolen, which prompted officers to stop the 42-year-old Egyptian immigrant.
Video footage shows California law enforcement using a police dog to maul an Uber driver who was late making payments on his vehicle.
The footage from 2020, obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle, shows Oakland resident Ali Badr, a 42-year-old Egyptian immigrant, trying to put on his shoes and cooperating with San Ramon officers.
But seconds after stopping the driver, the officers used a dog without warning on Badr, who was unarmed. During the attack, Badr can be heard screaming “What I did? What I did?” as police, with guns drawn, search his car, according to The Guardian.
Badr started renting a Toyota Camry from the rental car service startup CarMommy in September of 2020 after loss of income during the pandemic resulted in him losing his own vehicle, according to the Chronicle.
Badr fell behind on car payments toward the end of his contract and the rental company reported the vehicle as stolen. In December of that year, an automated license plate scanner spotted Badr driving into a gas station and six police cars subsequently surrounded the Camry, the outlet added.
Ali Badr rented a car to keep getting Uber fares. From a company that caters to rideshare drivers. He was late on a couple payments. The owner reported it stolen, per his lawsuit. An automatic license plate reader alerted cops, leading to traffic stop.https://t.co/EDrTRU5o9P
— Matthias Gafni (@mgafni) January 3, 2022
Badr had multiple surgeries after the dog severely mangled his arm, with the attack causing both physical and psychological injuries, according to a lawsuit reported by The Guardian.
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After being transported to a nearby hospital by ambulance, Badr was allegedly handcuffed to a bed, according to The Guardian. The outlet reported that the San Ramon Police Department tried to press charges against Badr for vehicle theft and resisting arrest. But in March of last year, the Contra Costa district attorney did not file charges against the driver, citing “insufficient evidence and the interest of justice,” the Guardian reported.
CarMommy and the San Ramon Police Department have yet to respond to a request for comment from Changing America.
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