Uber driver allegedly sexually assaults sleeping, drunk passenger
LOS ANGELES -- Police have arrested an Uber driver they say sexually assaulted a female passenger after she fell asleep during a ride in Los Angeles.
Police Capt. William Hayes said Monday that Alaric Spence, 46, picked up the victim downtown on Friday.
Hayes says the woman, who was intoxicated, fell asleep during the ride and instead of taking her to her destination, Spence drove to a motel. He says Spence rented a room and carried the unconscious woman inside before sexually assaulting her. The woman called police when she woke up.
Police say Spence had five prior felony convictions in California for narcotics-related crimes.
He was being held on $1 million bail, reports CBS Los Angeles.
Police say they have video of Spence carrying the unresponsive 24 year old from his car into the motel.
And, reports CBS L.A., they say it's likely Spence has done this sort of thing previously -- so they're looking for more possible victims.
"He went to the hotel, rented a room and then carried her from his car into the hotel room where he assaulted her," Captain Hayes said. "To do something that brazen … in my investigators' and my opinion, we believe it is something he has done before."
It wasn't immediately clear if Spence had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
Uber says it is cooperating with the investigation and has permanently banned Spence.
He'd been an Uber driver for six months, CBS Los Angeles says.
