Uber Driver Charged With Raping Passenger In Boston
UPDATE: Charges of rape and assault against Vedrine were dropped on October 19, 2016.
BOSTON (CBS) – An Uber driver has been charged with raping a passenger in Boston earlier this week.
Michael Vedrine, 32, of Brockton, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Friday in Dorchester Municipal Court on two counts of rape and two counts of indecent sexual assault, according to Boston Police.
Vedrine picked up the young woman after she called for a ride to her home early Wednesday morning.
Instead of taking her there, he's accused of driving her to another location in the city and attacking her between 2 and 4 a.m.
According to court documents, Vedrine allegedly admitted to having sexual intercourse with the woman but claims his accuser was "extremely drunk," but consented to it. The documents also reveal he allegedly called her following the encounter.
Prosecutors recommended $50,000 bail for Vedrine at his arraignment, but Judge Lisa Ann Grant released him on his own recognizance.
He is due back in court October 13.
"We are fully cooperating with Boston police and will continue to work closely with them to help provide any information useful in this case," Uber spokesperson Kayla Whaling told WBZ-TV in an email.
"We are providing all specific information to police for their ongoing investigation. We have permanently removed this driver from accessing the Uber platform."
Several drivers for the ride-sharing service have been charged with crimes in Massachusetts this summer.
Just last month, Massachusetts joined more than 30 other states in regulating ride-hailing companies.
Drivers here will now have to be screened in two sets of background checks - one by the company, the other by the state.
However, the regulations do not require fingerprinting, even though Boston taxi drivers are subject to that.
