Uber driver Alejandro Done, 46, from Boston, reportedly brought a female passenger to a secluded area and raped her.
A police investigation showed that he picked up the victim at about 7:30 p.m. at a Boston residence. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan and Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert Haas verified his identity through company records, according to Bloomberg News.
Uber vowed to cooperate with the investigation even though it said he was not on call when he picked up a passenger. Uber said Done he insisted on a cash payment from the alleged victim, but Uber drivers are paid by credit card, Digital Trends reported.
Done pleaded not guilty in Cambridge District Court. He will attend another hearing on Dec. 24.
"This is a despicable crime, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victim during her recovery," Kaitlin Durkosh, a Uber spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. "Uber has been working closely with law enforcement and will continue to do everything we can to assist their investigation."
In another story, Uber is also investigating a case involving singer-songwriter Nikki Williams, who tweeted last week that she was also the victim of an Uber driver who tried to grab and kiss her in her driveway. She managed to fight back and escape the offender.
CBS News wrote that a California lawsuit has been filed against Uber for allegedly exaggerating how comprehensive its background checks are for its drivers, which misled passengers.
"We are finding solutions in many places that range from polygraph exams that fill gaps in available data to adding our own processes on top of existing screening for commercial licenses," wrote company Security Chief Philip Cardenas. "We are exploring new ways to screen drivers globally, using scientific analysis and technology to find solutions."
Moving forward, Uber said that the company will focus on strengthening its safety programs and will facilitate stricter background checks on its applicants for 2015.
