Kelly O’Keefe, a professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter, was the Uber driver’s passenger at the time of the accident. O’Keefe was on the way to the airport in Minneapolis.
O’Keefe said that the driver was being inattentive to the road, even before the crash. He said that the driver smashed into the police car about seven minutes into the ride, after he made a quick lane change.
After hitting the police car, the Uber driver pilled to the side of the road, and the police approached the vehicle and asked for his license and registration.
After the driver handed over his license and registration, he was asked if they could take a look in his glove compartment. The driver agreed, and a container of pot was found, but the driver said it wasn’t marijuana.
The driver was cuffed and the Uber vehicle was smashed, but O’Keefe still needed to make it to the airport. He tried contacting Uber, but nothing came from it until after he found another way to the airport.
Uber contacted O’Keefe and wanted to make sure he was alright, and they refunded his $24. The driver was also fired, and O’Keefe, who is actually a brand management specialist, said that Uber’s reputation suffers when these types of incidents occur.
