Cops: Woman sexually assaulted on American U. campus by man she thought was Uber driver
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A woman was sexually assaulted on the American University campus in Washington, D.C. early Sunday by a man she thought was an Uber driver, local news outlets report.
According to charging documents obtained by CBS News, Washington Metropolitan Police arrested El Houcine Jourhdaly, 36 of Springfield, Virginia.
Uber said Jourhdaly is not an active Uber driver and had been permanently banned from driving for the ride-sharing app two years ago.
#BREAKING Uber says driver accused of sexually-assaulting woman in front of American University was PERMANENTLY BANNED from the Uber app 2 years ago. @wusa9
— Bruce Leshan (@BruceLeshan) November 20, 2017
It's not clear whether the victim involved was a student at American University, reports the Washington Post. The woman flagged down a driver Sunday in the Dupont Circle neighborhood when she saw an Uber sticker on his car and he said he would give her a ride, according to the police report.
The driver then allegedly forced the woman out of the car outside of an American University campus building between 3:20 a.m. and 3:50 a.m. and sexually assaulted her, the report says.
Jourhdaly was reportedly charged with one count of first-degree sex abuse and was scheduled to appear before a D.C. judge Monday afternoon.
Uber didn't release details about why Jourhdaly had been banned from using the app.
Riders are instructed only to hail drivers via the Uber app.
American University campus police are cooperating "fully and closely" with the D.C. police, a university spokesman told the Washington Post.