Taxi drivers have been assaulting their customers since forever. Same applies to passengers assaulting or cheating their drivers.

Now there is a global brand to anchor to and make this news. If it were Acme Cabs in Middle of Nowhere this story wouldn't run.

On the other hand it is useful to consider how a company with Uber's scale could/should do a better job of reducing the frequency that these events occur. They'll unfortunately never be fully eradicated but you'd expect there's an opportunity for continual improvement.