Newark, DE- The Newark police department is investigating a series of sexual assaults committed by rideshare drivers this past weekend.
At least two attacks were reported with witnesses reporting similar incidents.
The first assault happened on Sunday just after midnight when a female victim, 21, reported that she was waiting near her residence for a rideshare vehicle.
‘The vehicle had been ordered for her by a friend, and the victim did not know the description of the vehicle she was waiting for,” the Newark Police Department said. “The victim observed a vehicle near her residence and thought it was the rideshare vehicle. She contacted that driver and entered the front seat of the vehicle thinking it was the correct vehicle.”
Police said the driver then sexually assaulted the woman before dropping her off at her destination. The driver in that incident has been identified.
The second incident occurred on Halloween night at around 6 p.m. when a sexual assault was reported to Newark Police.
“The assault occurred in the early morning hours of October 31, 2022. The female victim, 21, reported that she ordered a ride through a rideshare app, ” the department reported. “When the vehicle arrived, she entered the vehicle and they drove towards her destination. During the ride, the driver stopped the vehicle and began to sexually assault the victim. The victim was dropped off by the driver and later contacted police.”