Uber driver accused of sexually assaulting passed out female passenger
LOS ANGELES (CNS / FOX 11) - Police on Monday sought additional possible victims of an Uber driver who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman who passed out in his vehicle after he picked her up in downtown Los Angeles.
Alaric Spence, 46, was arrested late Friday and was being held in lieu of $1 million bail, according to sheriff's inmate records.
Spence allegedly assaulted the 24-year-old victim about 3 a.m. Friday after she passed out in the back of his car while en route to Hollywood, according to Los Angeles police.
Spence is suspected of driving to a hotel on Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood, carrying the Los Angeles woman into a room and assaulting her, according to Capt. William Hayes, commanding officer of the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division.
The woman, who may have passed out from drinking alcohol, woke up alone, not knowing where she was or how she got there, and called police, Hayes said at a news conference this afternoon at LAPD headquarters.
Investigators released images of Spence and his vehicle, a 2015 silver four-door Nissan Sentra with license plate number 7XUX293.
"He went to the hotel, rented a room and then carried her from his car into the hotel room where he assaulted her,'' Hayes said. "To do something that brazen ... in my investigators' and my opinion ... we believe it is something he has done before ...''
Spence, who police say had been an Uber driver for the past six months and has prior drug-related convictions, is black, 5-feet-11 inches tall and 225 pounds.
Anyone with information about other possible victims was urged to call LAPD Detective Carla Zuniga at (213) 486-6910. After-hours and weekend calls should be directed to (877) LAPD-24-7.
Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling (800) 222-TIPS.
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