Woman accused of pepper spraying Uber driver while he was praying in Arabic

MANHATTAN, NY. (Gray News) – A woman is facing hate crime charges after she allegedly pepper-sprayed an Uber driver while he was praying.

23-year-old Jennifer Guilbeault is charged with second- and third-degree assault as a hate crime and aggravated assault.

According to the indictment, Guilbeault pepper-sprayed a 45-year-old Uber driver during an anti-Muslim attack on the Upper East Side in July 2024.

According to court documents and testimony, at approximately 12:15 a.m. on July 31, 2024, the Uber driver was in the process of completing a ride for Guilbeault and another person who were sitting in the back seat of his car.

As the driver approached a red light, he began to pray in Arabic.

Guilbeault reportedly rushed toward the driver's seat with a can of pepper spray in his hand. She sprayed the driver in the face, “causing burning, redness and pain.”

A few minutes later, the driver called 911 and Guilbeault was arrested at the scene.

“As alleged, Jennifer Guilbeault senselessly attacked a Muslim Uber driver while he was doing his job,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. said in a statement. “The victim is a hard-working New Yorker who should not face this type of hate because of who he is. Everyone is welcome to live and work in Manhattan, and our Hate Crimes Unit will continue to combat bias-based attacks by thoroughly investigating and prosecuting cases, providing community outreach and supporting victims.”

The public prosecutor's office explains that the allegations contained in the indictment are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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