Not Your Ride

Imagine you’re a young woman out for a night celebrating with friends. Then you feel you’ve had one too many cocktails.

What’s the responsible thing to do? Nowadays, call for a ride-share rather than attempt to drive yourself while under the influence. In this true crime, the ride-share driver was not the one assigned to pick up the women who’d been out celebrating.

The wrong ride-share driver picked up twelve women who were waiting for a different driver—this was his method of operation. Drive around clubs or places where young women are drinking alcohol.

The women who stood near the street looked like they were waiting for a ride, so this sexual predator (who actually worked for the ride-share company at the time) pulled over. From what I’ve read, the women asked the driver, “Are you here for so-and-so?” This seems like a standard question to find out if it’s your ride. I now know, the correct question is, “Who are you here for?” And if the driver doesn’t know your name, step away from the vehicle.

Too often, victims of sexual assault just want to forget it happened. They feel reporting the crime can cause a blame-game, questions about whether the victim did anything to encourage the assault. Because of this, several women did not report the ride-share driver of kidnapping and assault.

The sexual predator always kept the woman’s phone. He’d even take photos of them in compromising positions with their phone’s camera. Following leads from the women who reported the crimes led the investigators to find the man posing as the ride-share to kidnap women. And when they found him, they found all the women’s cell phones.

Several brave victims testified at his trial. The jury found him guilty of multiple offenses of kidnapping, sexual assault, and attempted sexual assault. A judge sentenced him to 290 years-to-life in prison.

One of the victim’s said she was told about criminal trials,

“It’s the criminal justice system, not the victim justice system.”

Footnote: I am always surprised by how VERY different sentences are for the same crime in different states.

Source: Denver District Attorney, ABC 7 - Denver

All data and information provided is for information and research purposes only and not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. Criminal cases may have been appealed or verdicts overturned since I researched the case. All information is provided on an as-is basis.