Uber driver charged with sexually battering passenger in Miami: Police

An Uber driver accused of sexually battering a woman who was a passenger in his vehicle in Miami was arrested on Monday, police said.

Yaroslandys Elozegui Romero, 35, was charged with sexual battery, battery touch/strike, and indecent exposure.

During his court appearance, a judge set Romero's bond to $29,000 after reviewing his case.

"These allegations are extremely troubling," Judge Ariel Rodriguez said. "This person should not be an Uber or Lyft, he shouldn't be driving."

Romero was ordered to stay away from the victim and is not allowed to work as a rideshare driver.

According to police, on Sunday, the Florida Highway Patrol notified an officer about a sexual battery that happened in the area of Westbound State Road 836.

An arrest report said the victim was with an FHP trooper when the officer arrived at the scene to interview her.

The victim told the officer that she was at a friend's house who ordered her an Uber ride with his phone because her phone was out of charge, the report said.

Romero, the report said, was identified as the driver because the victim showed the officer a picture of him that she obtained through the Uber app.

After confirming that the vehicle matched the one that was on the Uber app, the victim sat in the back and asked Romero if he had a charger, the report said.

Romero, the report said, told the victim to sit in the front seat so that she would be closer to her phone and he pulled over so that she could move.

Once the victim was in the front seat, Romero started to touch the victim's arms and asked her to kiss him, the report said.

The victim refused Romero's demands but, the report said, he kept pressing and stopped on State Road 836, grabbed the victim by her arms and forcefully kissed her. He then forced her to touch his genitals.

As the victim continued to struggle, Romero became more aggressive and pulled down his pants and exposed himself, the report said.

Romero, the report said, forced the victim to touch him and then grabbed her by the neck and forced her to perform a sexual act.

After he finished, the victim told officers that he saw him clean himself off with a towel. He then dropped the victim off at the location she requested in the Uber app.

During the investigation, the vehicle Romero was driving was registered to another person and revealed that Romero was living at the person's home, the report said.

The officer, the report said, arrived at the home where Romero was living and read him his Miranda Rights.

Romero then agreed to a recorded interview and gave his account of what happened, which matched what the victim told the officer, the report said.

One thing that was different in Romero's story was that he said the victim appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and that she started touching him, the report said.

When the officer first interviewed the victim, he said she did not appear to be under the influence.

Romero was then arrested and transported to the Turner Knight Guildford Corrections Center.

Uber released the following statement:

“What this rider experienced is nothing short of a nightmare. We take the safety of the Uber community seriously and have removed the driver’s access to the app. We stand ready to support law enforcement with their investigation.”