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A man in Florida is facing multiple charges after allegedly shooting at his Uber driver during a heated exchange about politics and religion, reportedly telling the driver to “go back to his country.”
David Stuart Stinson, age 42, has been charged with several offenses, including shooting into a vehicle and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The incident took place early Sunday morning in Clearwater.
The altercation began after Stinson ordered a rideshare from his sister’s home in Oldsmar to his residence in Largo. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by The Post, the conversation between Stinson and his driver escalated into violence.
The discussion turned tense when politics and religion were brought up, leading Stinson to discover that his driver was an immigrant. This revelation reportedly prompted Stinson to make the inflammatory remark.
The court documents specify that Stinson told the driver to “go back to his country” during their conversation.
When the argument became too heated, the driver pulled over, opened Stinson’s door and demanded the unwanted passenger to get out after he allegedly became “more aggressive with his demeanor.”
The driver began to drive off, leaving Stinson on the side of Belleair Road in a residential neighborhood, when he pulled out a gun and allegedly fired three shots at the fleeing Uber, the affidavit states.
The hail of bullets struck the back of the car and the passenger seat, but did the driver was not hit.
The unidentified man told police that he “was fearful that (Stinson) wanted to harm him.”
Police responded to the area and tracked Stinson down to his home, roughly two miles away.
During the initial interaction with Pinellas County Sheriff deputies, Stinson had allegedly handed a brown handbag to his wife in an attempt to conceal it from the police.
Officials recovered the bag and discovered a Glock-19 handgun and ammo believed to be connected to the shooting.
During his arrest, Stinson told his wife, “I’ll see you in a few days,” and asked if she got the bag, not knowing police had confiscated it as evidence.
During an interview with detectives after being read his rights, Stinson admitted to arguing with the driver over politics and religion but denied having a firearm on him or even shooting at the driver, police reported.
The report indicates a firearm was confiscated and Stinson was believed to be under the influence of alcohol.
Police could not determine if any other drugs played a role in the shooting.
Stinson was also hit with tampering with physical evidence and discharging a firearm in public.
He was released from the Pinellas County Jail after he paid his bond.
The Pinellas County Court placed a Temporary Extreme Risk Protection Order on Stinson, requiring him to surrender his firearms after his threatening actions against the Uber driver.
Stinson is expected back in court on April 27.