Texas lawyer fired after argument with Uber driver

ByKELLY MCCARTHY ABCNews logo
Wednesday, November 15, 2017

After Dallas prosecutor Jody Warner was fired from her job in the district attorney's office for an altercation with an Uber driver, she apologized for her actions, saying today, "I was wrong."

"I'm very sorry for the language I used. I'm not proud of it," Warner said at a press conference as she fought back tears. "I appreciate being given the opportunity to give my side. I'm not trying to make any accusations against that driver. I don't know what's in his heart. I can tell you that not everything he said was true. I never touched him."

She added, "I'm not ever going to justify anything that I said. There's just a little bit more to it, and I was wrong."

Shaun Platt, 26, said he was driving Warner home from the Capitol Pub in East Dallas last Friday night when she became increasingly upset and insisted he use a different route from the one indicated on his GPS.

"She kept saying she's an assistant DA and said, 'Who are they going to believe, you or me?' and I said, 'You know what? You're kind of right,' so I took out my phone and I recorded it," he told ABC News.

Warner, 32, began cursing and insulting Platt, calling him an "idiot."

At one point she said, "I think this might be a kidnapping," so Platt decided to pull over.

"You're so stupid. I want the cops to come so that they can f--- you up," Warner can be heard saying to Platt on the video recording.

Platt said that he asked Warner to get out of the car and that when she declined, he called the police.

"She actually hit me," he claimed, which Warner later denied. "It was not how I expected the night to go."

Uber encourages riders and drivers to call police or 911 if they feel unsafe or find themselves in an uncomfortable situation, as outlined in the company's driver safety tips. Drivers and passengers may end a trip at any time along the route and reach out to 24-hour customer support.

After police arrived, Platt said he declined to press charges.

"After reviewing this incident and speaking with the complainant who called 911, the Dallas Police Department has determined that the officer's involvement was within departmental policies and procedures," the department said in a statement. "Any further information relating to this incident should be directed to the Dallas County District Attorney's Office. There are no criminal charges filed relating to this incident."

"We expect riders to treat drivers with respect. This rider has been removed from the app while we continue to look into this incident," a spokesperson for Uber told ABC News.

The argument led to Warner's firing on Monday by Dallas District Attorney Faith Johnson.

"After careful consideration and a thorough investigation, I have decided to terminate Ms. Warner. Although criminal charges have not been filed, her behavior is contrary to this office's core principle of integrity, and it will not be tolerated," Johnson said in a statement. "As public servants, we represent the people of Dallas County and are examples of justice, professionalism and ethical behavior both inside and outside of the courtroom. I will not waver on my expectation of the highest integrity for myself or my staff. I will continue to run this office with transparency and respect for the justice system and the community we serve. I encourage you, the public, to look beyond this incident and recognize that our prosecutors work hard each day to seek justice on your behalf."

Warner first responded to the video in a statement, saying, "I cringe whenever I hear or think about the things that I said that night. It was unacceptable, and no one deserves to be called names."

She continued, "That being said, the audio doesn't tell you that I was in a situation that made me feel very uncomfortable, and I became defensive and eventually angry. I NEVER assaulted my driver or touched him in any way. All I wanted to do was get home safely that night."

Platt said he was sorry the altercation "cost [Warner] her job. That was not my intent, but you don't treat people that way."

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