An Uber ride in Central California took a terrifying turn for a 20-year-old woman when the driver allegedly attempted to kidnap her and showed her explicit images of himself. The unsettling incident occurred on a Sunday afternoon in downtown Clovis, a suburb of Fresno.
The Clovis Police Department's public information officer, Ty Wood, confirmed that officers responded to a report of a potential sex offense at an intersection in Clovis around 12:30 p.m. The victim reported feeling uncomfortable as the Uber driver asked her personal questions during the ride.
According to the victim, the driver displayed a sexually explicit photo on his phone, which left her feeling scared and prompted her to plead to be let out of the vehicle. The victim's account was corroborated by a family friend who expressed concern that the driver might have been attempting to abduct her.
Despite fearing that she was being locked inside the car, the victim managed to escape when the vehicle stopped at a red light. Recounting the harrowing experience, she described it as the scariest situation she had ever faced.
Following the incident, close friends of the victim shared details on social media, identifying the Uber driver as 'FNU' (First Name Unavailable) and accusing him of sexual harassment, displaying inappropriate images, and attempting to detain the victim against her will.
The Clovis Police Department confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that an attorney representing the driver has been in contact with them. The case will be forwarded to the Fresno County District Attorney's Office for further action.
Uber responded to the situation by stating that they take such reports seriously and have suspended the driver's access to the app pending investigation. The company expressed readiness to cooperate with law enforcement in the inquiry.
While the victim's friends claimed that Uber refunded her for the ride and apologized, Uber did not confirm or deny this assertion when approached by the media. The incident has sparked concerns about passenger safety and calls for ride-sharing companies to take more proactive measures to protect their customers.
