Uber Driver Carjacked and Kidnapped

INKSTER, MI - Uber attracts workers by saying drive your own car be your own boss.

One man never thought the job would come with carjacking and kidnapping.

"It's a good way to make a controlled amount of money and a nice, fun way to meet people.”

At least that's what Tim thought.

Wednesday morning the Uber driver, who has only been on the job a little over a month picked up three people at an Inkster Dollar Tree parking lot. It was the beginning of a ride Tim didn't think he'd live to see to the end.

"It really kind of hit me something was wrong when we got on Highway 25 to Ohio."

The three customers asked Tim to drive to Indiana. Tim says he didn't mind. He had the time and it appeared they had the money, until Uber sent him a notice midway through Ohio - telling him to end the trip. His passengers weren't having it.

"It was when I was letting them know the ride was being ended that I saw a firearm in the far back,” said Tim. “I realized we were no longer on even terms."

For the next 15 hours Tim would be forced to drive the two men and a woman, so they could complete an apparent crime spree. Tim claims they were armed with a 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol and a stack of stolen credit cards. He wanted to call for help, but was worried it would cost him his life.

"Be as friendly and as open with them as I could. Hopefully that would calm them down and keep them calm."

From Inkster, they stopped at multiple stores, shops, and restaurants. They drove through Toledo, Ohio. In Indiana, they stopped in Fort Wayne and then Indianapolis. Tim was even forced to drive them to a drug house before they eventually asked him to drop them back in Inkster late that night.

Tim eventually made it home and called Inkster police, which he says refused to help. He says they claimed it wasn't their jurisdiction, even though that's where the ride began. He had to turn to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which collected bags of evidence from his Lincoln Navigator. With the help of the feds, they plan to track the criminals down.

"They're most focused on it being carjacking and interstate kidnapping,” said Tim “but they do seem to suspect that there's something to do with a credit card scam."

Has this wild ride ended Tim's career as an Uber driver? He says, not at all.

"Things happen. My bad thing has happened and it's out of the way I hope.”

Tim says he won't agree to anymore long trips, but he's back on the job.

He says Uber is being very supportive and cooperative with the investigation - providing the necessary data from the road trip.

We are still waiting to learn more about Inkster's involvement, because the three kidnappers are still out there.