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On Sunday morning, police say that District resident Tireek Myrick picked up his victim in the 1800 block of Connecticut Avenue NW, leading to the fateful encounter that landed him behind bars.
According to investigators, during the ride, the rider requested that Myrick lower the volume on the radio, prompting the ride-share driver to cancel the fare, and the victim got out of his vehicle.
It is alleged that the 32-year-old driver then followed his victim on foot and assaulted him before fleeing the area.
On Wednesday, Myrick was arrested and charged with simple assault, though officials made note that the department is investigating the incident as being potentially motivated by hate or bias.
"The designation can be changed at any point as an investigation proceeds and more information is gathered," the agency stated. "A designation as a hate crime by MPD does not mean that prosecutors will prosecute it as a hate crime."
Police say that Myrick was also charged on a warrant with a burglary that was reported on Saturday, Jan. 13.
In that case, it is alleged that Myrick went to the unit block of R Street NE to deliver food, which he failed to do and his victims' canceled their order.
A short time after, police say that the driver returned to the victim's home yelling and banging on the door, demanding money from them. When they did not comply, he is accused of kicking open the door, demanding cash, and stealing property before fleeing.
According to reports, Myrick's accounts with both Lyft and Instacart have been deactivated following his arrest.
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