ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Police are investigating a sexual assault they say involved a man posing as a driver for hire in Asheville.
Police are warning people about how to stay safe when using ride sharing apps.
Asheville police say the sex assault happened on July 24th. He’s described as a Hispanic man in his 30s with a goatee, driving a white newer model sedan. Police say he speaks Spanish and broken English.
They ask anyone with information about the assault to call Asheville PD at (828) 252-1110.
They’re using this to remind people about how to be safe when using a ride sharing service.
In a news release, Asheville PD listed these tips:
1. Confirm you’re getting in the right vehicle – Ride share programs will provide you with detailed vehicle information. Double check that the car description, license plate number and driver’s name matches the vehicle picking you up. If the vehicle description/name do not match, cancel the ride and report the incident to the ride share service.
2. Share your ride in real time – Ride share services offer a “send status” feature to send your friends and/or family a map of your route and expected time of arrival.
3. Ride in the rear of the vehicle – Place some distance between you and your driver by not riding in the front seat of the vehicle.
4. Don’t pay in cash – Ride share programs charge rides to the riders’ credit cards, so no cash is ever exchanged. If a ride share driver asks you to pay in cash, this is a red flag and we recommend you leaving the vehicle before starting the ride.