Woman Raped After Getting Into Fake Ride-Sharing Vehicle

Colin Fredericson
By Colin Fredericson
April 3, 2019US News
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Woman Raped After Getting Into Fake Ride-Sharing Vehicle
A Lyft and Uber ride-sharing vehicle moves through traffic in Manhattan in New York City on July 30, 2018. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

A woman in Washington state was raped after getting into a vehicle she thought was her ride-share.

On Dec. 16, a friend of the victim ordered her a ride home from a Seattle bar through a ride-sharing app.

“She found multiple ride-share vehicles parked out front, so she started asking each of them if they were her ride share,” said Sergeant Ryan Abbott of King County Sheriff’s Department, via Q13 Fox. “One of the guys said, ‘Oh yeah I’m your ride-share, go ahead and get in.’”

Help needed to identify person of interest in rape investigationStory- On December 16, 2018 at approximately 12:15 AM…

Posted by King County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, April 2, 2019

The man falsely claiming to be the woman’s driver drove her to the White Center area, outside Seattle.

“The suspect raped her there,” Abbott said, via Q13. “Then after he raped her, he got her address and drove her to her house.”

Surveillance video from the woman’s home shows the driver come to the door and open it for her.

“As you can see from the video, he goes up to the door with the female, she’s looking around for her keys he actually has her keys in his pocket, so he unlocks her door and a short time later he hands her cell phone back that he also had in his pocket,” Abbot said, via Q13.

The King County Sheriff’s Office called on the public’s help to find the suspect and shared images on Facebook on April 2 taken from the surveillance camera. The post says the man was driving a black vehicle, possibly a Dodge Charger. Detectives have been unable to identify him through any ride-share company.

Q13 posted safety tips to follow when using ride-sharing companies: “Check to make sure the vehicle’s license plate matches the driver’s information provided in your app. Make sure the driver’s photo, name, the vehicle make/model match information provided in your app. Ask the driver to tell you your name (they will have this information in their app).”

The media outlet advised that if a friend orders a ride for you, have them send you this information. Police say you need to know these tips before you enter a vehicle.

“There’s been other instances where child lock safety has been on in the backseat, so something horrible might happen and the victim can’t get out,” Abbott told Q13.

The non-Uber driver locked her in. Samantha Josephson couldn’t escape b/c the child locks were on. How to easily check the locks before you get in your next Uber or Lyft.

Posted by Tanya Rivera on Tuesday, April 2, 2019

A 21-year-old University of South Carolina student was kidnapped and murdered after she mistakenly got into a car that she thought was her Uber ride on March 29.

Samantha Josephson was unable to escape the vehicle because the child safety locks were activated, Fox News reported.

“Samantha was by herself. She had absolutely no chance. None. The door was locked, the child safety locks were on. She had absolutely no chance,” Josephson’s father said at a candlelight vigil, via Fox News.

Police arrested 24-year-old Nathaniel David Rowland for the crime. Police said there was another female in the car the night of the arrest, but would not reveal what role she played, according to a Fox News video report. Police say this mystery woman is cooperating with them in the investigation.

Josephson’s mother said her daughter had planned to go to law school after her May graduation.

“Unlike him, Samantha had love within her heart and purpose in her life,” Marci Josephson told Fox News.

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