Uber driver shoots naked man after seeing him assault woman in Orange County, investigators say

STANTON, Calif. (KABC) -- An Uber driver shot a naked man after he saw him assaulting a woman in Stanton, according to investigators.

It happened Sunday around 7:49 p.m. in the 7100 block of Custer Way.

According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, a rideshare driver was dropping off a passenger in the area and saw a naked man assaulting a 60-year-old woman.

A resident who lives in the area who wished to be identified only as Luis said he was in his daughter's bedroom upstairs when he saw the man assaulting a woman before the shooting occurred.

"I saw the man beating on the woman, like, he's like on top of her, beating on the woman," he said. "So I yelled out the window, I said, 'Hey, get off her,' ran out, and when I ran out, I saw him pounding on the car, but he was completely nude."

The driver was reportedly yelling at the naked man, telling him to stop.

"Beating on the side of the car, like trying to get into the car, and the [rideshare driver] was clearly telling him like, 'Get off my car,' like using expletives, 'You better get off my car. You better get off my car,' and that's when we ran inside and we heard the gunshots."

Investigators said the suspect was beating on the vehicle when the rideshare driver shot and wounded him. The suspect remains hospitalized in stable condition.

"The rideshare driver stayed at the scene and he was interviewed by sheriff's investigators and later released at the scene," said OCSD Sgt. Matthew Parrish. "The woman who was being assaulted was seen by the Orange County Fire Authority and released at the scene as well."

Parrish said the suspect, who was identified only as a 20-year-old man, may face charges upon his release from the hospital.

Investigators don't believe the incident was a sexual assault.

"We're still looking into whether or not this man was under the influence of any kind of drugs or if he has any mental health issues or anything like that," said Parrish. "That's all part of the investigation and something that will come out later on down the road."

Uber released a statement Monday, saying, "The reported details are frightening. We're continuing to look into this and are standing ready to assist law enforcement on their investigation."

The Sheriff's Department is asking anyone with information to contact sheriff's dispatch at 714-647-7000. You can submit an anonymous tip by calling Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS or visiting their website.