A dispute between a Seattle ride-share driver and a visiting California woman was quickly resolved early Sunday when an SPD officer intervened with a texted selfie (#NoFilter).
SPD Officer Eric Michl, a member of the DUI traffic squad, was working on Capitol Hill around 2 AM Sunday when a distraught woman approached him near Boylston Avenue and East Pine Street.
The woman told Officer Michl she and a group of friends had taken a ride-share car service to the area, only to later realize she had left her purse and wallet inside the vehicle.
The woman, who urgently needed her wallet and ID cards back as she was scheduled to fly home later in the day, contacted the ride-share driver and offered to pay him an additional fare to return the purse. The man reportedly refused and demanded more money.
Shortly thereafter, the woman saw Officer Michl working down the street and approached him for help. Officer Michl called the ride-share driver but only reached his voicemail. He then sent the man a text message, informing him he could potentially be arrested and have his car impounded if he didn’t return the woman’s purse. To ensure he had the driver’s attention, Officer Michl also sent along a selfie to prove he was who he claimed to be:
The ride-share driver quickly called Officer Michl back and returned to the scene. He claimed he’d been busy taking other fares, and returned the purse.
Because the woman and her friends were leaving town later in the day–making it difficult to pursue the case further–the ride-share driver was identified and released from the scene, however the case remains open.