Officers labored with the Uber driver to determine Afkami; her father’s telephone quantity was used to order the automobile. Police labored with airways to study Afkami was booked on a Southwest flight that hadn’t but departed. An airline supervisor canceled her boarding move.
When officers searched Afkami on the airport, they discovered the Uber driver’s pockets containing a Chase Financial institution Visa card and the motive force’s photograph ID. A receipt and transaction notifications confirmed Afkami appeared to have bought greater than $120 value of things from the Paradies Lagardère retailer, together with an outsized shot glass, a half pound bag of “Cactus Sweet” and a hooded sweatshirt with stitched lettering.
After Afkami was learn her Miranda Rights, the affidavit says, she instructed officers that she’d felt she was being kidnapped. Nevertheless, within the arrest affidavit, officers famous she “made no recognized try to contact 911 regardless of having a mobile phone.”
Afkami additionally instructed officers she’d instructed the motive force, “I must get to the airport so I’m going to take your automobile and drop it off on the Southwest Airways.”
In line with Travis County court docket data, Afkami was charged with two state jail felonies — unauthorized use of a motorcar and “bank card or debit card abuse” — and was positioned within the custody of Travis County sheriff with bail listed at $10,000. She’s due in court docket Jan. 9. Native CBS and Fox associates first reported on her arrest.
A spokesperson for Uber stated Afkami was banned from the platform as quickly because the incident was reported to the corporate.
“What this driver skilled is terrifying,” the spokesperson instructed The Washington Put up in an e mail.
“We care deeply about our driver neighborhood, and have been in contact with the motive force to supply our assist,” they added.
Elizabeth Ferrer, a spokesperson for the Austin airport, stated she couldn’t touch upon the incident, however that vacationers ought to give themselves ample time to catch a flight.
“We all the time advocate at the very least two hours for home flights and three hours for worldwide flights since you simply by no means know what the visitors circumstances are going to be or what sort of challenges you may need,” Ferrer stated.
It has been a tricky yr for airport transportation frustrations. In August, there was the pilot who took an ax to a Denver Worldwide Airport car parking zone gate, inflicting $700 in harm. In October, dealing with a dropping battle with visitors, vacationers en path to Nashville Worldwide Airport deserted their rides on the interstate and walked to catch their flights as a substitute.
