NORFOLK, Va. — A Portsmouth man is behind bars after he was arrested for allegedly abducting and sexually assaulting a rideshare driver in Norfolk.
The alleged crime took place on March 31. According to a Norfolk Police Department spokesperson, their officers were dispatched to East Little Creek Road near the Pinewood Gardens Apartments for the report of a ride-share driver who had been carjacked.
When police officers arrived, they spoke with a woman who reported a passenger had entered her car armed with a gun and began to make demands. During the incident, the woman was able to run away from the car, and the man fired a gun.
The woman was not shot and was able to get help, but the man drove off in her car.
As a result of the police investigation, on Thursday, April 6, detectives arrested 24-year-old Johnathan C. Batey of Portsmouth. Batey has been charged with abduction, carjacking, rape, attempted malicious wounding, attempted robbery, and use of a firearm.
Batey is currently being held in Norfolk City Jail without bond. A court appearance has not yet been scheduled.
A spokesperson for Uber says, "It pains us to hear the horrific details of this case, and our primary concern is helping the driver get the support she deserves. We banned the rider from the platform as soon as this was reported to us and have been in touch with law enforcement throughout their investigation.”
According to Uber's website, they added several safety features for drivers over the past several years.
Some of them include GPS tracking, live help from a safety agent, and an emergency button that calls 911.