Man Seen On Video Allegedly Beating Lyft Driver Surrenders
May 31, 2019, 9:41 a.m.
The driver is relieved someone was arrested.
A man suspected of attacking of a Lyft driver over a week ago has turned himself in to police. George Catalano, 36, was charged with reckless endangerment and assault for the incident, which was captured on dash-cam video.
Driver Eduardo Madiedo picked up a man and a woman near 30-90 33rd Street in Astoria on May 23rd, to take them to Mount Sinai Queens. Dash-cam video showed the male passenger placing his head down on the woman's lap for many minutes before restlessly moving around the backseat and taking off his shirt. He asked Madiedo to drive faster, but Madiedo replied he couldn't due to traffic.
The passenger then makes suggestions and swears, prompting Madiedo to reply, "Excuse me, man, if you're going to be disrespectful, I'll just pull over right now." Enraged, the passenger beat Madiedo from the backseat and, after climbing over into the front section, screamed, "You f---ed up!" The passenger exited, then hit Madiedo again through the driver's side window after exiting. Throughout the assault, the female passenger appeared to be yelling, "George!"
The Post reports that Catalano "surrendered with his mother at the 114th Precinct station house in Queens Thursday at around 11 a.m., according to cops and a source."
Madiedo, who refused medical attention after the attack, said that he was reconsidering whether to continue to drive for Lyft. He told WABC 7, "Physically I still have pain on the right side of my head. When I sleep or when I kinda turn that way I can feel it. Emotionally, a lot of anxiety."
He is relieved that Catalano has been arrested, saying, "I feel relieved that they got him in custody, and that he’s actually going to face consequences."
Catalano was released after posting $5,000 bail. His next court date is July 10th.
