Man shot, facing charges after attacking Uber driver, cops say

An Uber driver will not face charges for shooting a customer in self-defense after the customer attacked him Thursday night, according to deputies. The customer, however, was charged in the incident.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call just before 8:30 p.m. from the Uber driver in the 4100 block of Lockwood Ridge Road in Sarasota, where the 37-year-old driver said he shot the customer, identified as Geoffrey C. Ruscher, 32, of Sarasota, after being attacked.

The driver told deputies he picked up Ruscher and his girlfriend from the Gulf Gate and Superior area and asked to be dropped off on Summer Cove Drive East, according to a probable cause affidavit.

According to the sheriff’s office, the driver said Ruscher became belligerent, so he stopped the car on Lockwood Ridge Road and ordered Ruscher to get out multiple times.

When Ruscher got out of the vehicle, he started walking away. When the driver asked the woman if she wanted to be taken to their destination or stay with Ruscher, he returned to threaten the driver, walking toward him in an aggressive manner, according to the sheriff’s office.

The driver pulled out his gun, but before raising it tried to push Ruscher away repeatedly, even punching his shoulder in an effort to get away, before Ruscher punched him in the face.

The driver then raised his gun, pointed it at Ruscher and warned Ruscher to back up as he moved away, according to the sheriff’s office.

But Ruscher continued to threaten the driver, even saying “I’ll (expletive) kill you, I don’t care. I’m not scared of you,” at one point and refusing to back down. Witnesses confirmed to deputies that Ruscher was the aggressor in the confrontation, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office reports the driver fired a single shot into Ruscher’s upper thigh and called 911 from his cell phone.

Detectives determined the victim was in imminent fear of his life and lawfully carrying the firearm. He will not face charges.

Ruscher was taken to a hospital and later to the Sarasota County jail. He was charged with assault and battery and was being held on a $620 bond.

This story was originally published November 17, 2017 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Man shot, facing charges after attacking Uber driver, cops say."