Mansfield Man Accused Of Attacking Uber Driver In Virginia

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (CBS) --  A Mansfield man is under arrest for allegedly attacking an Uber driver in Virginia.

Police say the Uber driver picked up 22-year-old Maxwell Sweeney and another person on West Main Street in Richmond shortly after 6p.m. Sunday.

The Uber driver Rene Sanchez told CBS's Virginia affiliate WTVR, both passengers were drunk and one threw up in the car during the trip.

Sanchez said Sweeney, a Marine at Fort Lee, reached over and began to choke him while he was driving on the highway.

"He attacked me," Sanchez told WTVR. "I think he was trying to kill me. I saw it in his eyes."

Sanchez, who said the attack was unprovoked, was able to safely pull over and defend himself.

"The suspect fled the scene on foot," Virginia State Police spokesman Sgt. Steve Vick told WTVR. "The other passenger remained at the scene. The driver did not need medical treatment, but there were signs of an assault."

According to police, Sweeney hid in the woods overnight and was arrested Monday. He was charged with strangling and causing injury and vandalism.