Uber Driver Denied Service to Blind Couple with Service Dog

Boston police department is probing a case of an Uber driver that denied giving service to a blind woman due to her service dog before dragging her blind boyfriend on the street after his hand got stuck in the car window.

Melissa Garside and her boyfriend Richard Welch, two legally blind, were standing outside their home in Boston waiting for the arrival of an Uber when the driver arrived, and saw her service dog,
rolled down the window, and said: "no dogs."

The couple is familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act, they told Uber driver, known as Allen, that it was illegal for him to refuse the ride because of Garside’s service dog, Theo.

That is When Welch arrives at the Toyota Camry, they open the back door so that Garside and her dog can enter. The driver quickly rolled up the window and speed, up and hurried, grabbing Welch's hand. He was dragged 10 to 15 feet before falling into the street.

After the incident, the couple contacts Boston police investigating the ride-sharing app, which they call "assault and tight battery on the disabled person" after Welch got injured that requires a visit to the hospital and stitches to his hand.

Uber immediately disqualified the driver and removed his access to the famous ride-sharing app, saying in a statement, "We are sorry to hear this report, and we are reaching out to check the welfare of passengers." Drivers are expected to accommodate riders with service animals and comply with all accessibility laws.”

Uber states that all drivers must agree to transport service animals as part of their contract with the company and that they prohibit any discrimination against disabled users. Drivers are reminded of their commitment to transport disabled passengers and service dogs in quarterly reminders.

However, Garside and Welch say that Uber does not do enough to ensure that drivers follow the rules. Garside told The Daily Mail that at least a third of her travel requests were rejected because of his dog. "I just want to be able to take a trip like any other." I do not have time to ask for four or five before you agree to take me. "