Uber driver is indicted in December case involving client rape, kidnapping, assault
An Uber driver has been indicted in connection with a December sexual assault.
Alejandro Done, 46, of Boston, was indicted today in Cambridge District Court on charges of kidnapping; three counts of aggravated rape; and two counts assault and battery. An arraignment has not been scheduled, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said.
Done had entered pleas of not guilty for a December hearing with Judge Antoinette Leoney.
Authorities say that at about 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6, Done went to Tremont Street in Boston, where a young woman was waiting for an Uber ride after spending time with friends. Done drove to an unrequested location and jumped in the back seat with her, locking the doors and hitting and strangling her, as well as covering her mouth so she could not scream as he sexually assaulted her, police said.
“We allege this defendant took advantage of the victim when she was in a vulnerable position,” Ryan said. “In this case, the victim came forward and reported this assault immediately. I commend the thorough investigation, which led to the alleged identification of this defendant.”
It was not clear where the attempted sexual assault took place, said Jeremy Warnick, director of communications and media relations for Cambridge police. The victim’s complaint was made to Cambridge police.
It is also not clear that Done was the woman’s intended Uber driver. While there have been several similar incidents involving car services such as Uber, including three local incidents last month, it has been noted that the attackers weren’t necessarily the intended car service employee.
One red flag in this case: The victim said Done told her she needed cash, and stopped the vehicle while she went to an ATM. The Uber app is designed specifically so customers never need or use cash.
Uber’s blog has posted about “Our commitment to safety” and noted ways the app tries to make sure customers get into the car driven only by the person assigned to them:
Our app also displays a driver’s photo, license plate number, and vehicle type, so when our riders enter a car, they know with confidence it’s the right one with the right driver … but we have more work to do, and we will do it.
