(22 Sep 2016) Authorities in San Diego County arrested a former driver for Uber and Lyft on suspicion of sexually assaulting several women while he worked for the ride-hailing services, and investigators said Wednesday that there are likely more victims.
The investigation began when an 18-year-old student said she was assaulted after requesting an Uber car at Palomar College on Friday, Escondido Police Lt. Justin Murphy said at a press conference.
The woman told police the driver picked her up at the school in a 2014 Chrysler minivan, immediately turned off the Uber app and then drove her to another location where he attacked her, Murphy said. He then drove her to her home. The woman was texting friends saying she felt uncomfortable after getting in the van, before the assault, police said.
Later that day police arrested Jeremy Vague, 37, a former college basketball player who is 7 feet tall, at his home in San Marcos near the college, Murphy said. He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on multiple sexual assault charges.
Both ridesharing companies are cooperating with authorities.
Lyft said in a statement that the company has "a strict zero-tolerance policy for any type of violent behavior, abuse or harassment and have permanently deactivated the driver's access to the platform. Drivers on the Lyft platform undergo a thorough criminal background check across local, state and federal databases that go back in time to the maximum extent allowable by law."
A statement from Uber said, "There is no excuse for the violent acts described and reported to police. We are working with law enforcement officials to fully support their investigation, and the driver has been banned from accessing the Uber app."
A bill requiring stricter background checks for ride-hailing companies has passed the California Legislature and is awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown's signature.
It would prohibit the companies from hiring drivers who are registered sex offenders, have been convicted of violent felonies or have a driving under the influence conviction in the past seven years.
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