Benjamin Golden, the former Taco Bell senior marketing executive who assaulted an Uber driver while heavily intoxicated, is now making a public apology to the man he attacked.
Golden, 32, now faces legal action from both the Uber driver, Edward Caban, and the district attorney of Orange County. He is assuming responsibility for his actions claiming that his behavior during the Uber ride last Friday in Costa Mesa, California, was inexcusable and out of character.
According to CBS, Golden claims he was blacked out the night of the assault and has no recollection of his attack on Caban, which was caught on footage by a dash cam in the driver’s car. Golden said crying:
“It’s not me in the video, it’s not me. It was hard to watch and I’m ashamed.
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“So the next day, I got out of jail and I didn’t know what happened until I saw this video. My heart sank.”
Golden said he doesn’t remember how many drinks he had that night and added:
“I’m not one to get in fights. I think a lot of people that I know are in shock by what they saw.”
Golden was arrested shortly after the Uber ride and was consequently dismissed from his job as a marketing manager at Taco Bell the following week.
Caban has since stopped driving for Uber and is suing his attacker for a minimum $25,000 for assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He also refuses to meet with Golden for an apology as he said:
“He says it’s not him, but that’s the only him I know. That wasn’t him, but it was him who had the first drink. It was him who made the decision to go out that night, and in the end, it was him who made the decision to beat me.”
Golden faces four misdemeanor charges that include assault and battery and up to a year of jail time. Though Golden claims not to have a drinking problem, he had pleaded guilty to a DUI charge three years ago in Kentucky. Golden, who is now seeking counseling, expressed regretfully:
“I’ve worked so hard and I’ve tried so hard and I had a stupid night and it’s my fault and I’ve thrown everything away, you know. I’m going to make it right, and I think that’s the only thing I can do.”
Watch the original video of the attack below:
