CHICAGO, IL – A Chicago Uber driver is speaking out after silent dashcam footage revealed Chicago Police Department (CPD) officers drove away from him twice as he begged for help during a violent passenger encounter in Englewood.
The Initial Encounter
The incident occurred early on the morning of December 14, 2025. The driver, Ty Thomas, picked up a passenger who became immediately hostile over a longer-than-expected wait time. According to Thomas, the passenger refused to exit the vehicle and began making threats, strongly insinuating that he had a firearm.
Spotting a CPD squad car with no emergency lights activated, Thomas made a U-turn and pulled up to the officers. Thomas told the officers the man claimed to have a gun and was refusing to leave his vehicle. Instead of intervening, the squad car sped off with the passenger still inside Thomas’ car.
A Second Refusal to Help
Thomas followed the squad car and managed to wave the officers down a second time as the passenger grew increasingly agitated. According to Thomas, one officer openly sighed, stated he “didn’t have time for this,” and abruptly accelerated away from the scene.
Moments later, the situation turned violent. The passenger began striking Thomas, hitting him in the back of the head with a heavy object. Thomas was forced to fight off the attacker while trying to maintain control of the moving vehicle.
Thomas eventually managed to floor the vehicle directly to the Fourth District Police Station, prompting the passenger to jump out and flee on foot. Thomas sustained a severe gash to the back of his head, along with multiple facial scrapes and bruises.
Records Contradict Potential Excuses
While police regulations allow officers to bypass a scene if they are actively responding to a higher-priority emergency, CPD records and GPS coordinates paint a different picture.
The interaction occurred between 3:11 a.m. and 3:13 a.m., but the squad car was not dispatched to its next call—a routine burglary alarm—until 3:24 a.m.
Retired CPD Chief of Detectives Eugene Roy noted that, at the very least, standard protocol required the officers to call for another squad car to assist if they were unable to stop.
Investigation Remains Open
Six months after the assault, no criminal charges have been filed against the passenger, despite Thomas providing authorities with the suspect’s full name. Furthermore, Thomas noted that the initial police report completely omitted the passenger’s identity and key details regarding the officers’ refusal to assist.
The Bureau of Internal Affairs (BIA) has launched an investigation into the incident. The Chicago Police Department has declined to comment publicly on the matter, citing the active internal probe. Uber stated that local authorities have not yet reached out to them regarding the incident, but the rideshare company remains ready to assist with the investigation.
