Fresno County deputies seek five suspects in armed Uber driver robbery

Five men allegedly forced open an Uber driver’s door, pulled a handgun and demanded his wallet near North Willow Avenue and East Harvey Avenue, turning a routine late-night ride into a violent robbery in north Fresno.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office says the attack happened around 10 p.m. on February 22, 2026, while the driver was parked. Investigators say one of the men pistol-whipped the victim before all five ran off on foot. The driver was able to get away, get medical treatment and report the crime, which is now being investigated as case 26-1993.

Deputies posted a public bulletin on April 15 and are asking anyone who recognizes the men or knows about similar robberies to come forward. The sheriff’s office says detectives are reviewing video connected to the case, but no suspect descriptions have been released. Tony Botti is the public information officer on the case, and investigators can be reached at (559) 600-3111.

The sheriff’s office is also steering anonymous tips to Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867. Valley Crime Stoppers says tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward, with payouts up to $3,000 for information that leads to an arrest. The organization says it was formed in 1993 and has paid nearly $2 million in rewards over 30 years, a sign of how often public tips still matter in violent-crime cases that unfold quickly and leave few immediate leads.

For Fresno County drivers working rideshare shifts, the case underscores how exposed a lone worker can be when a curbside stop turns into a confrontation. The mix of a gun threat, a physical assault and five suspects moving together raises the stakes beyond a typical robbery, especially for late-night drivers who often have to pull over in parking lots, residential streets and other low-visibility spots.

The incident also lands in a broader safety gap. A 2024 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office said there is no federal requirement to collect assault data for rideshare and taxi vehicles, even as concerns grow about attacks on drivers and passengers. Uber says it offers 24/7 Safety Support through its app and online reporting for riders, drivers and delivery customers, but the lack of a national data standard makes it harder to measure how often these crimes happen and where protections fall short.