The Grubhub driver charged with allegedly hitting a restaurant owner's daughter with his vehicle and then fleeing the scene did not actually work for the food delivery company, Grubhub said on Tuesday, May 19.
Cell phone-recorded video footage of the incident, which is being widely circulated on social media, shows Aamir Mohammed, 30, running over a restaurant worker in Lakeview East, Chicago on Friday, May 15, before driving off.
Grubhub Says Driver Used Friend's Account
According to Grubhub, Mohammed was not actually an employee of the company and has never been contracted with them. The company pointed out that he fraudulently used the account of another driver, probably a friend, who was employed by the food delivery company that connects diners with local takeout restaurants.
"We have terminated the contract of the driver who owned the account and banned him permanently from our platform. We support efforts to prosecute both the individual charged with the crime and the driver who owned the account to the full extent of the law," the company said in a statement obtained by ABC-7 Chicago.
What happened?
Mohammed was picking up orders for Grubhub at Ms. T's Southern Fried Chicken on 3343 N. Broadway when he was asked to wait outside while the food was being prepared to comply with the state's social distancing restrictions because of coronavirus.
Mohammed then purportedly kicked the front glass door of the restaurant and returned to his vehicle, and what ensued was an argument with the restaurant owner, Angenita Tanner, and her daughter, Bijan Choya Early. Mohammed tried to drive away but Early stood in front of the vehicle while her mother called the police.
Another customer waiting for food outside the restaurant saw the altercation and started filming with his cellphone when Mohammed allegedly accelerated, driving into Early and dragging her for about 20–30 feet "with her body on the hood of the car and legs underneath," according to Assistant States Attorney James Murphy.
After Early fell off the vehicle, Mohammed allegedly drove towards her a second time and ran her over. Early was rushed to the hospital with two broken shoulders, a broken arm, a broken pelvis, a laceration to her head, and bruises throughout the body. She also had to undergo surgery to her pelvis and arm.
Felony Charges Against Driver
Mohammed, who fled the scene of the incident only to turn himself in the following day, has been charged with one count of aggravated battery using a deadly weapon, one count aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, one count of failure to report an accident causing injury, all felonies; and one count of leaving the scene of an accident and one count of driving without a license, both misdemeanors.
His bail has been set at $5,000 and the judge has also ordered electronic monitoring should he meet the bail.
