Woman Indicted for Pepper Spraying Uber Driver on UES

A woman was indicted for pepper-spraying Shohel Mahmoud, a Muslim Uber driver on the Upper East Side in the early morning of July 31, allegedly because of his religious identity, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.

The woman, 23-year-old Jennifer Guilbeault, is being charged with one count each of Second Degree Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime, and Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree, prosecutors said.

“As alleged, Jennifer Guilbeault senselessly assaulted a Muslim Uber driver, Shohel Mahmoud, while he was just doing his job,” said Bragg.

“The victim is a hardworking New Yorker who should not have to face this type of hate because of his identity. Everyone is welcome to live and work in Manhattan, and our Hate Crimes Unit will continue to address bias-motivated attacks by thoroughly investigating and prosecuting cases, conducting community outreach, and supporting victims.”

The D.A.’s office wrote that according to court documents and statements, Guilbeault was one of two passengers in Mahmoud’s vehicle.

Around 12:15 a.m., the car stopped at a red light near 65th St. and Lexington Ave., when the driver started to pray in Arabic. It was at this point that Guilbeault allegedly “lunged forward toward the driver’s seat,” and blasted Mahmoud in the face with pepper spray.

Video of the attack shows Guilbeault, clad in a light-colored spaghetti-strap dress, and another female passenger, texting on their phones when the muscular Guillebault, suddenly ferocious and glaring eyed, launches her attack.

“Jen! Jen! What the f***!? What the f*** did you just do?” Guilbeault’s fellow passenger shouts, as she tries to restrain Guilbeault.

“Get him out, get him out!” Guilbeault insists.

Guilbeault exits Mahmoud’s vehicle and stands by the passenger door.

“Why did you do that?” Guilbeault’s friend asks.

Although her answer is unclear, Mahmoud believed she Guilbeault told her friend, “he’s brown.”

The Uber driver, allegedly experiencing “burning, redness, and pain” as a result of the pepper spray, called 911 soon after the attack, leading to Guilbeault’s initial arrest.

Guilbeault was subsequently also banned from Uber.

Speaking to CBS News, Mahmoud, a father of three, said, “She should be punished,” Mahmoud told CBS. “I’m human. I’m not a robot. Treat [me] like a human. I’m working [to] feed my family.”

Guilbeault’s defense attorney, Raymond Baierlein, Esq., did not respond to a request for comment by press time.