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Boston Uber driver accused of raping passenger

By Aileen Graef

BOSTON, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A Boston driver has been charged with kidnapping and raping a passenger who called for a ride through the Uber app.

Alejandro Done, 46, is accused of picking up a woman and telling her he could only accept cash payment. He stopped at an ATM and when she came back to the car, Done allegedly took her to an unknown area, came into the back seat, strangled her and covered her mouth after locking the doors. He then allegedlyassaulted her during the struggle.

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Meghan Joyce, Uber's manager in Boston, told the Boston Globe the problem stems from too many illegal drivers on the roads.

The level of accountability and transparency that Uber's technological innovations have brought to the transportation industry are unprecedented, but there have been very disturbing and persistent issues here in the city of Boston, and we're very excited over the coming months to work with both the city of Boston and the state of Massachusetts to do whatever we can do to ensure that these illegal vehicles for hire are a thing of the past.

Uber said Done passed the background check in order to become an independent contractor for the ride-sharing service, but said he was not the driver contacted to pick up the woman in this case. It is illegal for any driver to pick up a passenger off the books, whether it is through a ride-sharing or cab service. Uber also has a strict policy of no cash. Payment should be solely through the app where passengers store their credit card and can adjust their tip amount.

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This is the latest in a series of sexual assault accusations against Uber drivers. A woman in Washington D.C. said earlier this year, her Uber driver raped her in a driveway. Similar accounts have been reported in various Uber cities. There has been a call for Uber to thoroughly vet and regulate their drivers before letting them sign up for their service.

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