Man arrested in Rivers Casino bathroom for robbing Uber driver

PITTSBURGH — A man is facing charges after he threatened and robbed an Uber driver over the weekend, according to police.

Charles Grissom-Warner Jr., of Pittsburgh's Hill District, is charged with robbery, terroristic threats and simple assault after the incident early Saturday morning.

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Police said the Uber driver, Nick Coban, told them that he was forced to drive Grissom-Warner to Pittsburgh from McKees Rocks after dropping off two other passengers.

According to a criminal complaint, Coban initially picked up Grissom-Warner and two women from Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh. He was redirected to several locations before the group decided upon McKees Rocks as their final destination.

Coban told police that the two women were dropped off in McKees Rocks, but Grissom-Warner remained in the front passenger seat and grabbed Coban's oxygen cylinder and cellphone, the complaint said. Grissom-Warner then forced Coban to drive to the Hill District, saying that if he didn't he would "put a cap" in him.

"(He was) up in my face and threatening me saying, 'You're going to take me there, or else." The victim said. "He kept reaching into his back." 

The complaint stated that Coban feared for his safety and began driving back through McKees Rocks and onto Route 65, then got off the highway and headed toward Rivers Casino.

Coban stopped the vehicle and pleaded with four occupants of a truck for help.

At one point while helping Coban, one of the good Samaritans hit Grissom-Warner in the forehead with a tire iron, police said. Another punched Grissom-Warner in the back of his head.

The driver, who chose not to be identified, was thankful for the help.

"I thought I was dead. I just didn't know. I just didn't know," the driver said.

Surveillance cameras at Rivers Casino captured Grissom-Warner walking into a bathroom, where he was arrested. He was taken to a hospital and later to the Allegheny County Jail.

WPXI