Police are investigating after a passenger allegedly choked his rideshare driver with a belt in Meriden on Tuesday.
Officers were called to the Popeye's Restaurant on East Main Street in Meriden at about 8 p.m. The rideshare driver told police she was picking up two men in Middletown.
When she brought them to the Popeye's drive-thru, one of the men allegedly became belligerent with the employees and the driver, police said. At one point, the passenger put a belt around the woman's neck and started choking her, according to authorities.
Police said the man choked her until he saw a police car in the area. That's when he stopped and ran away. The other passenger also fled, officers said.
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The driver left the area and went to the police department to report what happened.
Detectives were able to identify the man and he was ultimately arrested. He faces charges including criminal attempt at strangulation, unlawful restraint, threatening and breach of peace.
The man is being held on a $50,000 bond. The incident is under investigation.
