A 25-year-old Uber driver has been charged in connection with a sexual assault investigation in Vaughan.
Police say the driver picked up three people from a Toronto nightclub on Sunday after they had arranged for a shared ride home using Uber.
The driver dropped off two of the passengers at their homes in York Region. As the driver approached the final destination in Vaughan, the female passenger was told she needed "to pay in cash or by other means," police said in a statement on Wednesday.
The passenger then felt uncomfortable, and asked the driver to stop the car and let her out. Police said the passenger was then sexually assaulted after she exited the vehicle.
Osamah Al-Mandalawi, of Mississauga, has been charged with sexual assault. He was arrested on Monday at his home, police say.
According to Uber Canada, Al-Mandalawi is no longer working as a driver for the company.
"This is a disturbing incident, and upon hearing of these reports, we immediately removed the driver in question from the Uber platform," Uber Canada spokesperson Susie Heath said in a statement on Wednesday. "We have been touch with York Regional Police and will continue to assist in any way we can."
Anyone with information is asked to contact York Regional Police at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7441, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
