MIAMI (WSVN) - A ride-share driver is speaking out after a man armed with a gun allegedly kidnapped him in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.
Wilfredo Rodriguez said he was off North Miami Avenue and Northwest 24th Street when the incident happened, Sunday morning.
According to Rodriguez, he was surprised when Alexis Hurtado hopped into his car. However, he was not the intended passenger.
“Once I started the ride, I get a message from the real passenger, and it says ‘Hey, where are you?’ I thought my soul left my body at that moment,” Rodriguez said through a translator.
When Rodriguez noticed Hurtado was not the right customer, he asked him to get out.
According to police, Hurtado had another plan in mind.
“I look at the guy in the back — the one I picked up, and he realized I knew everything,” Rodriguez said in Spanish. “He then takes out a gun and told me ‘Drive or I’ll shoot you.'”
After around four blocks, Rodriguez took action. He stopped his car, hopped out and ran away from the vehicle in search of help.
“Officers help me! Putting my hands up and when I turn around to see if the cops are behind me, I see it’s the guy with the gun,” Rodriguez said. “I think, ‘Why is this guy still following me? He’s going to kill me.’ Soon after, police came and told him to drop his weapon.”
Hurtado was arrested and was transported to jail while the scene was processed for evidence.
He appeared in bond court on Monday, where he received a $10,000 bond and was told to stay away from the victim.
“I don’t know how I’m going to drive again or make myself feel better or move forward after all this, but I’m going to try to do the best I can,” Rodriguez said.
Hurtado faces a kidnapping charge in the case and has since bonded out.
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