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Uber driver: Video shows alleged drunk passenger grabbing steering wheel to crash vehicle

The Uber driver, Albert Castro, told police that he picked up the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Tswj Vang, from a Citrus Heights bar. The entire event was recorded by a dashcam in Castro's vehicle.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — An Uber driver is speaking out after he says an apparently intoxicated passenger he picked up last Saturday night tried to grab the steering wheel twice on Highway 99 in Sacramento.

The Uber driver, Albert Castro, told police that he picked up the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Tswj Vang, from a Citrus Heights bar. The entire event was recorded by a dashcam in Castro's vehicle.

"He's just like a normal ride, drunk guy on a weekend night," said Castro. "It was a Saturday and he gets into the car. I have disco lights on my car and he thought it was great and fun."

But a few minutes into the drive, Castro said Vang tried to put his hands on the steering wheel. 

He says the passenger said, "We're gonna crash. We're gonna crash."

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Castro said he told Vang not to do that because he had a wife and kid at home and "when you grab my steering wheel, we can die."

A few minutes later, Castro said Vang tried to take control of the steering wheel more aggressively.

In the dashcam video, you can hear Castro tell the passenger "you gotta let go man" and the passenger replying "we're gonna go crazy."

"It was constantly on my mind," Castro said. "This is how it ends. This is how I die."

Castro ended up getting his car stopped by CHP in the middle of HWY 99 after using his Uber app panic button to call 911.

"I'm still worried," Castro said. "I'm not sure if I'm gonna keep driving. I definitely know if they're a single driver they're not gonna sit in the front seat anymore."

Vang was arrested on DUI charges.

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