An Uber driver from Lansdale, Montgomery County, has been charged with allegedly raping a passenger who was unconscious in his vehicle, Pennsylvania State Police said.
Ahmed M. Elgaafary, 26, face multiple offenses, including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, misdemeanor, indecent assault without consent, and indecent assault of an unconscious person.
The alleged incident occurred Feb. 10 around 2:20 a.m., after investigators said Elgaafary had picked up the woman from the Valley Forge Casino in King of Prussia. At some time between the passenger entering Elgaafary’s vehicle and when she arrived home in Chester County, police said Elgaafary had sex with the woman while she was unconscious.
Elgaafary is scheduled appear in court for a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Nov. 7. He was arraigned Wednesday afternoon before Magisterial District Judge Joann Teyral.
Elgaafary currently is in Chester County Prison, unable to post $75,000 bail.
News of this incident comes after critics have accused Uber of silencing women who claim to have been sexually assaulted by the ride-share company’s drivers, as well as female Uber drivers who say they have been sexually assaulted by passengers.
A report earlier this year accused Uber of urging women to handle sexual assault cases against the company’s drivers “behind closed doors,” rather than in the courts, leading multiple women in California to lead a class-action lawsuit against Uber.
Another report from April said 103 Uber drivers have been accused of sexual assault or abuse.
