Former Taco Bell executive Benjamin Golden, who lost his job in the popular fast-food chain after a video of him allegedly physically assaulting Uber driver Edward Caban went viral, has filed a lawsuit against the driver, accusing him of recording the incident illegally, according to The Washington Times.
Golden stated in his lawsuit that Caban is to blame for any injuries he suffered during the incident, which happened late October last year in Costa Mesa, Calif. The 32-year-old former Taco Bell executive is suing the driver for $5 million in damages.
Courtney Pilchman, who is representing Golden in the case, stated that she will attempt to have Caban's video, which allegedly shows the former executive hitting and pulling the 23-year-old driver's hair aggressively, to be barred from evidence in the criminal case against Golden, which was filed by the driver soon after the incident, reports CNBC News.
Pilchman elaborated that the recording was made illegally, and that the driver's alleged claims of being traumatized by the event, were false.
"I don't believe he has any of those," she said, referring to his injuries.
The assault happened after Golden, who was allegedly visibly drunk, failed to provide the Uber driver with proper directions. When asked by the driver to get out of the car, the drunken executive allegedly proceeded to hit Caban, pulling his hair and slamming his head into the steering column and driver's side window. In retaliation, the driver allegedly sprayed mace on Golden's face, before calling for help.
Caban left his position as an Uber driver soon after the incident. His lawyer, Rivers Morrell stated that the young driver had been "in a living nightmare" since the event, further stating that Caban had never been in an altercation prior to the incident with the ex-Taco Bell executive, according to The Examiner.
"He's fearful, he can't sleep, he just can't get this out of his head," Morrell said.
Golden's present lawsuit stands in direct opposition to his statement back in November, where he expressly apologized about the incident. During his apology then, he even stated that he could not remember the assault because was too drunk during the night.
With his lawyer's recent statements, however, it seems like the former Taco Bell executive remembers the events during the incident just fine.
Watch the video of the incident below:
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