Uber Driver Charged With Sexually Assaulting A Rider In Boston

An Uber driver has been charged with sexually assaulting a passenger in Boston's Brighton neighborhood last week, police said.

Sonpreet Singh, 25, of Somerville, faces charges of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, reports NBC Boston. Singh surrendered to Boston police Sunday and was placed on arrest, said law enforcement officials.

Police said the victim filed a complaint on April 14 alleging that she had been assaulted by her rideshare driver. She told police that she took the cab back home, as she and a friend had a few drinks.

The victim alleged Singh asked her if her breasts were real and asked her to show them to him. After she refused, Singh kept on saying sexually inappropriate things. He also grabbed her breasts as she tried to get out of the car, following which she punched him in the face. She fleed to her apartment, where she retrieved the details of the trip, including his name, license plate of the vehicle, and a picture of the accused, the court documents said.

Following her complaint, police got in touch with Uber officials who provided them with the details of the accused.

"What’s been reported is deeply troubling. The driver’s access to the app has been removed and we thank local law enforcement for their swift action," said Uber officials in a statement.

Meanwhile, Singh's attorney issued a statement which read: " Mr. Singh is a hard-working young man with no prior criminal convictions. We look forward to a trial in this case. As is often the case, the public only hears one side in cases involving rideshare drivers but we look forward to our day in court.”

Singh is expected to be arraigned in Brighton District Court soon.

In a similar incident, a case of kidnapping was registered in Boston last month after a Uber driver trapped a woman in his car. Police arrested Kamal Essalak of Acton, for trapping a woman in his vehicle.

According to the victim, upon noticing that the rear doors were on a child lock, she pleaded with him to stop the vehicle and let her go. He refused before climbing to the passenger seat. The woman, somehow, managed to escape after maneuvering around the driver to the driver's seat door.