INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis woman is facing multiple charges in the shooting of an Uber driver.
Rakeasia Rodgers is facing battery by means of a deadly weapon, aggravated battery and criminal recklessness charges.
Rodgers is accused of shooting Marco Batista on Jan. 4.
"I am happy because I am alive and my passenger, he's alive, too,” said 48-year-old Marco Batista.
Batista was feeling much better Friday and expects a full recovery after doctors repaired his colon and removed a bullet fragment from his scrotum.
Batista started giving Uber rides in 2016. But he never had a pickup before this week so frightening and dangerous.
Court records say 20-year-old Rodgers and her boyfriend were fighting at a home on Winthrop Avenue when Batista arrived about 8:45 p.m. to pick up Rodgers. But the boyfriend jumped in the car instead.
"One guy opened the door and jumped in my car,” said Batista. “And he was scared and yelling, ‘Go! Go! Go!’ and I didn't know what was going on when I saw one girl was running to my car."
Police say video cameras in the car show the man running toward the car and Rodgers following. According to police, the video then shows Rodgers fire one or two shots at the car and then another as Batista drove the gray 2016 Hyundai Sonata away. One bullet came through the trunk, the back seat, and the driver's seat and hit Batista in the lower back near the waist.
Batista called 911, but the boyfriend wanted Batista to keep driving.
"The 911 operator told me, 'Why you are driving? Stop, because we'll find you.' And I stopped and I put my car in the intersection,” said Batista.
The boyfriend jumped out before help arrived at 38th Street and Keystone Avenue, less than two miles from the shooting location.
"I was dizzy, and my body got hot, and I thought I would die," said Batista.
Batista is grateful he and his passenger survived.
In an interview with police, Rodgers allegedly said her boyfriend took her cellphone and they got in an argument. Rodgers told police she fired several shots in the air after the argument got physical, but denied shooting at Batista's car. Police said Rodgers told them she only wanted to scare her boyfriend and didn't mean to hurt anyone.
Police have arrested Rodgers three other times since 2020. She is scheduled for a bench trial later this month on theft and criminal trespass charges for allegedly stealing the purse of another dancer at Jaguars Show Club.
"I am so sorry for her, because she’s 20 years old, and screwed up her life,” said Batista. “I hope she can change her mind and pay for what she did and turn around and be a good citizen."
Rodgers is being held on a $100,000 bond.