California man apologizes over Uber driver's assault
COSTA MESA, Calif. -- A California man captured on a now-viral video attacking an Uber driver has apologized for his behavior.
Thirty-two-year-old Benjamin Golden's attorneys said in a statement Wednesday that their client was extremely remorseful for hitting Uber driver Edward Caban and that it was an isolated incident in his life.
"Mr. Golden recognizes that despite his level of intoxication, he should have never slapped Mr. Caban and is extremely remorseful for his actions," the statement read. "We have reached out to Mr. Caban's attorney in hopes of offering Mr. Golden's apology and deep regret in person. We are awaiting their response."
Caban is suing Golden over the attack Friday in Costa Mesa in Orange County. Golden also faces up to a year in jail if convicted of assault and battery charges, and he was fired from his job as a brand manager for Taco Bell, based in Irvine.
A video captured by a dashboard-mounted camera shows a drunken Golden repeatedly hitting Caban, grabbing his hair and slamming his head against a window. The video has more than 2 million views on YouTube.
The filmed assault occurred when Caban was giving his last ride on Friday night. Caban picked Golden up from a bar. From the beginning, he said the man was belligerent and refused to give him a drop-off address.
"You're too drunk to give me directions, man. I'm kicking you out," Caban said in the video, which seems to show the passenger falling over in the back seat. "Get out of my car or I will call the police."
"His response was to beat me over the head," Caban said after the incident. "The next thing I know I have fists flying over my head. The next thing I know I reach for the pepper spray."
Taco Bell fired Golden on Monday night, saying in a statement it "...offered and encouraged him to seek professional help."
Caban has a camera in his car because he says he's faced unruly passengers before and uses the footage as evidence.
"Safety is a big concern in the driver community and I wanted to show other drivers what happens," he said.