A former California rideshare driver is dealing with a federal hate crime cost for allegedly assaulting a rider he thought was Jewish or Israeli again in October.
The Division of Justice mentioned in a information launch that Csaba John Csukás, 39, was arrested on Wednesday after assaulting a rider he was set to select up on the San Francisco Worldwide Airport.
Csukás allegedly requested the sufferer whether or not he was Jewish or Israeli and mentioned he wouldn’t transport a Jewish or Israeli individual earlier than punching the sufferer within the face, the DOJ mentioned.
The incident got here a few weeks after Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7.
Officers condemned the assaults, saying that prospects needs to be “capable of experience with out being profiled.”
“When taking public transportation – whether or not a taxi, bus, or experience share(sic) – prospects ought to be capable to experience with out being profiled, or worse but attacked, due to their nationality or faith by drivers,” U.S. Legal professional Ismail J. Ramsey for the Northern District of California mentioned. “We’ll prosecute any ride-share(sic) driver who assaults a passenger in such hate-fueled violence.”
Csukás made his first courtroom look and was charged with “committing a federal hate crime which prohibits, amongst different issues, inflicting bodily harm due to the precise or perceived faith or nationwide origin of an individual in circumstances affecting interstate commerce.”
If convicted, Csukás may face a most penalty of 10 years in jail and a high quality of $250,000.
