Ex-rideshare driver charged with federal hate crime for alleged attack on passenger he picked up at SFO

SAN FRANCISCO – Authorities on Wednesday arrested and charged a former rideshare driver from Daly City with a federal hate crime for allegedly assaulting a passenger he believed to be either Jewish or Israeli last fall at the San Francisco International Airport.

The incident happened on Oct. 26, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.

Citing an indictment, the Justice Department said Csaba John Csukás, 39, worked as a driver for an app-based rideshare company and was hired to drive the victim home from SFO. The Justice Department did not name the rideshare company and the indictment was not immediately available Wednesday.

Csukás allegedly approached the victim at a predetermined pickup location, asked the victim if they were Jewish or Israeli, stated he would not transport a Jewish or Israeli person and hit the victim in the face with his fist, federal authorities said.

“The defendant, a rideshare driver, is charged with assaulting a rider because he thought the rider was Jewish or Israeli,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

“No one in this country should live in fear because of how they worship or where they come from,” Garland continued. “The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute those who perpetrate hate-fueled violence motivated by anti-Semitism or by bias of any kind.”

Robert Tripp, special agent in charge of the San Francisco FBI field office, called the alleged attack “senseless and brutal.”

“Hate crime is among the FBI’s highest priorities and we will work to bring justice for victims of bias-motivated crime,” Tripp said.

Csukás made his initial court appearance Wednesday. If convicted of committing a federal hate crime, Csukás faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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