A ride-share driver arrested by Escondido police last week faces charges of sexually assaulting more than one female customer, authorities said Wednesday.
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The investigation began Friday when an 18-year-old student said she was assaulted after requesting an Uber vehicle at Palomar College, Escondido Police Lt. Justin Murphy said at a press conference. She sent text messages to friends saying she felt uncomfortable, according to investigators.
Jeremy Vague, 37, is charged with kidnapping with intent to commit robbery or rape, forcible sexual penetration and assault with intent to commit a felony. Also, a 19-year-old woman said Vague sexually battered her in the minivan after she requested a Lyft ride September 7, he said. A phone listing for Vague could not be found and his attorney could not be reached for comment.
In the course of the investigation, detectives discovered additional suspected victims. The women, both 19, alleged that he groped them after getting them to pose for photographs with him, according to Murphy.
The driver, identified as Vague, arrived in a blue, 2014 Chrysler minivan 7SMH182, according to Escondido Police spokesperson Justin Murphy.
Escondido police have taken Vague’s van into custody and are processing it for evidence.
Uber, Lyft and similar ride-hailing services can operate in Jefferson Parish under rules that largely mirror regulations for those companies in Gretna and New Orleans, the Parish Council decided Wednesday. The city had proposed a fingerprint-based background check for drivers with Uber and Lyft, which have fought the proposal, arguing taxis do not have to do the same. They also unanimously endorsed to strengthen regulation for the parish’s taxicab companies, a move they say will put the two competing industries on a level playing field.
In April, Uber agreed to pay at least $10 million to settle allegations by California prosecutors that it misled passengers about the quality of its driver background checks.
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”.
A statement from Uber said, “There is no excuse for the violent acts described and reported to police”.
The council opted against doing that, though it said it did not oppose the general concept of state-level regulations for Uber and Lyft.
Neither drugs nor alcohol were factors in the sexual assault cases, police said.
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“We hope you find the courage to come forward so we can hold Vague accountable for his actions”.
