Bellevue police arrest rideshare driver accused of sexually assaulting passenger

The Bellevue Police Department arrested a 34-year-old rideshare driver accused of sexually assaulting a passenger in January.

According to police, a woman visiting from Arizona was waiting for a rideshare vehicle in downtown Bellevue so she could get back to her hotel in Seattle on January 20. Around 2 a.m. the woman accidentally got into the man’s vehicle, which had a rideshare symbol on the dashboard, and fell asleep. 

When the victim awoke, the suspect had allegedly put handcuffs on the victim and was attempting to sexually assault her. Police said the victim was able to fight off the suspect and escape. The victim then reported the incident to police.

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Bellevue detectives were eventually able to identify the suspect vehicle with the help of the King County Sheriff’s Office who were investigating a similar rape case that occurred in March. Police impounded the vehicle and discovered handcuffs inside, along with other evidence linking the suspect to both crimes.

The suspect was arrested last Wednesday and booked into the King County Jail.

Detectives learned the suspect had driven for Uber and Lyft and would drive a vehicle with both company’s placards displayed. The suspect would allegedly offer victims rides “off app” to avoid being tracked.

Also see | Fake Uber driver charged in White Center rape

Investigators believe it’s possible the suspect is connected to similar crimes that occurred in Kirkland and SeaTac in March, and in Seattle last December. 

Authorities are asking anyone who may have been targeted by the suspect to report the incident to police.

Bellevue police and the King County Sheriff’s Office shared the following rideshare safety tips with residents: 

• Verify the license plate of the vehicle you are getting into is the same as the car on your app. Many ride-sharing vehicles are similar.
• Ask “What’s my name?” Verify that the driver picking you up knows your name and is, in fact, the driver you have called.
• Never get into a vehicle with an unknown driver.
• Never accept rides from someone claiming to be a ride-share driver if you haven’t ordered their specific vehicle through the app.
• Report any unacceptable behavior to the ride-share company and the police.