PROVIDENCE (WHDH) — Police arrested a man who they said impersonated an Uber driver and sexually assaulted a teenage girl he picked up in Providence, Rhode Island.
Police said the 15-year-old girl was walking along Elmwood and Broad Street when a man offered her a ride, saying he was an Uber driver.
“This gentleman here is what we could call an opportunist. He saw a young girl walking. He stopped, made conversation. Managed to lure her into the car,” said Providence Police Maj. David Lapatin.
Police said the man, 36-year-old Francis Scott, was pretending to work for Uber. The girl thought Scott was going to take her to school but instead police said he drove in a different direction. Lapatin said the girl tried to get out of the car but Scott held her back. He then allegedly drove to a gym and parked behind the building, where he sexually assaulted her before letting her go.
The girl went to the police for help and police said they were able to identify the car and Scott after studying surveillance video.
Scott was arrested and charged with second-degree sexual assault and kidnapping. Police said they are asking if anyone else had been approached by Scott.
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