Lyft Driver Assault In Southington Lands Man With Bias Charge

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A New York State man has been charged in connection with what police are calling a racially charged attack on a Lyft driver at a Southington hotel.

At 9:26 p.m. on Tuesday, Southington police responded to the Homewood Suites, 1096 West St., after a Lyft driver said he had been assaulted.

According to a report, the man was driving 40-year-old Selkirk, NY, resident James Rarick and two others to the Homewood Suites.

The driver took a call and was speaking in "another language," according to a report. Rarick asked the driver where he was from and the driver told him he was from Palestine, according to a report. Rarick is accused of making a derogatory remark regarding the man’s country of origin and telling him "not to talk to people in America."

At the hotel, Rarick is accused of striking the driver in the head, forcing him to the ground and using his knee to strike him, a report indicates. His companions tried to pull him off the driver, according to a report.

The driver was transported to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries and Rarick suffered a bloody nose, police said.

Rarick was charged with first-degree intimidation due to bias, second-degree breach of peace and third-degree assault. He was released after posting a $75,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court on March 24, police said.