An Uber driver was fired from his post after being accused of sexually assaulting a 25-year-old female passenger in Norwood, Mass. last weekend, according to WBZ-TV.
The driver, 31-year-old Junior Clarke, is being charged with with indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, assault and battery and accosting/annoying a person of the opposite sex, the station reported.
The woman requested a ride around 5 a.m. Saturday. The station reported that it was the woman's first time using a ride-share service.
“We’ve been in contact with the rider to offer our support and are working with State Police to aid their investigation,” an Uber spokesperson said in a statement to the station. “The driver has been banned from the platform.”
Police told WBZ that Clarke asked the woman a number of personal questions. He then asked her to kiss him, which she refused. Clarke then touched her.
After the woman reported the assault to authorities, the man agreed to meet with authorities to be arrested.
According to Uber, background checks are performed on drivers. Uber uses a service called Checkr, which scans for convictions in the last seven years. Any sexual offenses in the last seven years would disqualify a driver from using Uber.
Virginia Tech has published a brochure on how to be safe using ride-sharing services.
