TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The ride-hailing company Bolt issued a statement following the death of a rider who was abandoned by its driver on Taiwan’s Provincial Highway 64 on Sunday.
Bolt said that it will fully cooperate with the authorities and the driver involved has been banned from accepting customers using the Bolt app. The company expressed sorrow and regret over the tragic loss of life, and said passenger safety is a core company principle, reported UDN.
The driver, surnamed Lin (林), had picked up a 25-year-old customer surnamed Wen (溫), per CNA. During their ride, an argument led to Lin forcing Wen from his vehicle on an elevated portion of Highway 64.
Moments after he was abandoned, Wen was struck by multiple vehicles and died, prompting a criminal investigation into the incident. Investigators are focused on determining whether Wen left the vehicle voluntarily, or if he was physically forced from the vehicle by Lin.
Lin initially told officers that Wen was drunk and hitting the back of the seat in front of him. Lin said the two argued and he demanded that Wen get out of the car on the side of the highway.
The driver said he called the police directly immediately afterward to report what happened. Audio of the incident, taken from the dash cam, indicates that Lin repeatedly told Wen to stop kicking the back of his seat, but Wen said little during the encounter, reported Mirror Media.
Bolt is an Estonian company that entered the Taiwan market in September. In its first five months, the company has rapidly expanded operations in the Taipei metro area.
