Police: Uber driver allegedly gropes female passenger during ride

Seattle police arrested an Uber driver for allegedly groping a female passenger.

According to police, the driver picked up the woman Wednesday afternoon. She got in the front seat, and during the ride the driver started groping her.

She shouted for him to stop, police report, and he continued. The woman jumped out of the car at First Hill and went to Harborview Medical Center’s sexual assault trauma center, where she called police. The driver was arrested that night.

An Uber spokesperson provided KIRO 7's Amy Clancy with the following statement:

"What the rider described is deplorable. This individual has been removed from the app and we will work with Seattle Police to provide any information that might be helpful to their investigation. Our screening process requires an applicant's full name, date of birth, social security number, driver's license number, a copy of his or her driver's license, vehicle registration, vehicle insurance, and a valid bank account."

KIRO 7 News did an investigation last year about women who claimed Uber and Lyft drivers sexually assaulted them.

We talked to an SPD sexual assault detective who confirmed that their department is seeing more cases involving sexual assault ride-share drivers. But he also said that “prior to the increase in ride share services, we were getting cases of taxicab” drivers suspected of sexually assaulting female passengers.

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