ABBOTSFORD Police announced on Friday that a suspect had been arrested in Tuesday’s assault of Uber driver Aman Sood of Abbotsford.

On April 18 at 6:47 a.m., Abbotsford Police patrol officers responded to the 2300-block of McCallum Road for an assault on an Uber driver. Prior to police arrival, the suspect fled the scene on foot. Patrol officers conducted extensive patrols in the area, but the suspect was not located.

The victim was injured and extremely shaken due to the suspect’s violent actions. Officers worked with Uber and law enforcement partners to identify and arrest the suspect.
On April 27 at 7 p.m., officers located and arrested 38-year-old William Tickle of Abbotsford without incident.

The BC Prosecution Service has approved charges of assault causing bodily harm and uttering threats. Tickle remains in police custody, awaiting a court appearance on Friday.
“Abbotsford is not immune to random violent attacks. However, thanks to the timely and full cooperation from Mr. Sood and Uber, we swiftly arrested this violent offender. Incidents like these remain a top priority for AbbyPD in bringing these offenders before the court to be accountable for their actions,” said Inspector Kevin Murray. 

Meanwhile, Sood is demanding better safety measures for the ride-hailing service. Part of the attack was captured by the camera mounted on Sood’s dashboard. He says he has been unable to drive on a regular basis since the incident.

Sood told the media that the passenger became abusive after he took a right turn instead of a left. So he pulled over and told the passenger that he would cancel the ride. The video shows the passenger assaulting him in the car. Both then exit the vehicle and sounds of fighting can be heard. Sood then returns to his car without his shirt or jacket.

Sood met with Labour Minister Harry Bains on Wednesday to demand more protection for workers in the gig economy.