Fact check: This video was posted by @soptrends on Instagram on June 11, 2026.

Verdict: misleading — Trust Score 32/100

This post is to be a sensationalized recycling of a 2021 assault case involving Michele Stilwell in St. Petersburg, Florida. While the physical altercation and biting did occur, the claims that the driver contracted an STD and that the woman faces 40 years in prison are fabricated; the actual case was resolved years ago with the defendant receiving no jail time.

misleading verification card — Trust Score 32/100
Platform
instagram
Source author
soptrends — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZckYHFicvp/?igsh=eWw0MW1xd3BtdXZi
Verified on
June 14, 2026
Verification ID
jQ9qk6B_L-ShKqeRaXLfPQ

Original content reviewed

Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @soptrends --- Caption/Description --- A woman is facing significant prison time after prosecutors accused her of attacking an Uber driver during a violent altercation. According to authorities, the woman allegedly bit the driver during the incident. Prosecutors further claim that the encounter resulted in the driver contracting a serious infection, leading to additional charges being considered in the case. The allegations have attracted widespread attention online due to the unusual nature of the case and the severity of the potential penalties involved. 🎥: #News #BreakingNews #Uber #Crime #Court #Justice #Trending #Viral #LegalNews #Reels Published: 2026-06-11T12:56:31.000Z ---VERIFICATION_SUMMARY--- Platform: INSTAGRAM Author: @soptrends --- Caption/Description --- A woman is facing significant prison time after prosecutors accused her of attacking an Uber driver during a violent altercation. According to authorities, the woman allegedly bit the driver during the incident. Prosecutors further claim that the encounter resulted in the driver contracting a serious infection, leading to additional charges being considered in the case. The allegations have attracted widespread attention online due to the unusual nature of the case and the severity of the potential penalties involved. 🎥: #News #BreakingNews #Uber #Crime #Court #Justice #Trending #Viral #LegalNews #Reels --- Claims to Verify --- 1. A woman is facing significant prison time after being accused of attacking an Uber driver. 2. The woman allegedly bit the Uber driver during a violent altercation. 3. The Uber driver contracted a serious infection as a result of the bite. 4. Prosecutors are considering additional charges against the woman due to the severity of the driver's infection. --- Verification Focus --- woman bites Uber driver infection prison time Uber driver bite infection lawsuit charges woman arrested for biting Uber driver infection prosecutors additional cha

Claims analyzed (5)

  1. mostly true: This video was posted by @soptrends on Instagram on June 11, 2026.
    The post is currently active on the @soptrends Instagram account with the specified timestamp and metadata.
  2. false: A woman is facing 40 years in prison after being accused of attacking an Uber driver.
    The woman in the video, Michele Stilwell, was charged in 2021 with aggravated battery (2nd-degree felony, max 15 years) and tampering with a witness (3rd-degree felony, max 5 years). The total maximum was 20 years, not 40. Furthermore, the case is resolved, and she reportedly received no jail time.
  3. verified: The woman allegedly bit the Uber driver during a violent altercation.
    Police records and dashcam footage from April 2021 confirm that Michele Stilwell bit driver Michael Hassey Jr. on the neck during a ride in St. Petersburg, Florida.
  4. false: The Uber driver contracted an STD as a result of the bite.
    There is no evidence in any official police report or credible news coverage that the driver contracted an STD. Medical experts state that while transmission of certain diseases like HIV or Hepatitis via human bites is theoretically possible if blood is present, it is extremely rare and was not reported in this case.
  5. false: Prosecutors are considering additional charges against the woman due to the severity of the driver's infection.
    The case is from 2021 and has already reached a legal conclusion. There are no active 'additional charges' being considered in 2026 for this resolved incident.

Sources consulted (9)

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