Blind Woman Slams Uber After She Was Dropped Off at Wrong Location: 'I Just Lost Trust in the Whole Situation'
Kamille Richardson, who has been blind since birth, was supposed to be taken to a local Verizon store
A blind woman from Raleigh, North Carolina, has called out Uber and slammed the popular rideshare service after she alleged she was dropped off at the wrong location by a negligent driver – an experience she said had left her feeling “helpless.”
Kamille Richardson, who has been blind since birth, prides herself on her independence and being able to travel alone throughout the city without assistance. However, she said that feeling has now been forever changed after the alleged incident in May, NBC affiliate WRAL reported.
“I say, ‘this is not the right place’ and he says, ‘well, I have somebody I gotta pick up at the airport’ and he takes off and runs away,” Richardson earlier told WRAL at the time about what happened during the ride that was supposed to drop her off at a local Verizon store so she could purchase a new phone.
Instead, Richardson said she was driven to an apartment complex, over a mile north of her intended destination.
Related: Uber Refunds Passenger's $600 Bill After He and His Driver Are Stranded for 9 Hours on I-95
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At a news conference held on Tuesday, July 9, Richardson, alongside her attorney, called for a public apology from Uber over the incident, WRAL reported.
"Ever since this happened, I've always now been hesitant. It took me a month [after the incident] to travel using any rideshare service alone," Richardson said. "I refuse to go by myself. And that's never been me ... but I just lost trust in the whole situation."
Richardson also said that the driver should no longer work for Uber.
When contacted, an Uber spokesperson told PEOPLE in a statement: "We apologize for Ms Richardson's stressful experience. We have investigated this issue, which appears to have been a result of a map error that directed the driver to an incorrect drop off location, and have addressed the map issue."
"Our goal is to create a platform that supports people's ability to easily move around their communities," the statement continued, "and we’re committed to building features, and working with experts to make the Uber platform more accessible."
Related: Uber Driver Delivers $12K in Food to Tenn. Hospital After Nurse Passenger Says She's Hungry
The company also said it has contacted Richardson, investigated the incident and took action. Uber added that it has recently launched features that can support safe Uber trips for community members with disabilities.
Richardson’s attorney, Aviance Brown, said she had contacted the rideshare company for the last two months but had yet to receive a response.
Brown also described Richardson's experience as "discrimination" due to her disability, per CBS affiliate WNCN, adding, "This would not have happened if Ms. Richardson had been able to see where she was being taken.”
Richardson, who is now calling for Uber to implement sensitivity training and develop safeguards so that similar incidents could be avoided, previously described her ride experience to WRAL as “one of the scariest things I've ever been through.”
Related: Uber Driver Helps Teen Passenger Who Was Stranded on I-95, Rents Her Hotel Room to Sleep In
PEOPLE attempted to reach out to Richardson's attorney, Aviance Brown, for comment on Uber's apology on Thursday, July 11.
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