Police: Uber driver kidnapped, assaulted female passenger
Allen Cone

Westagne Pierre, 29, of Greenbelt, Va., was arrested Thursday on
charges of kidnapping, assault and for fraudulently using the victim’s
credit card. Photo courtesy of Prince George's County Police Department
An Uber driver
has been arrested on charges he allegedly kidnapped and assaulted a
female passenger who had blacked out at a bar in District of Columbia.
Detective with the Prince George's County police
in Maryland believe Westagne Pierre, 29, of Greenbelt, Virginia, picked
up the victim on the night of Oct. 18, and instead of dropping her off
at her home in Fairfax County, Va., he drove her to the Budget Inn in
College Park, Md. He was arrested Thursday on charges of kidnapping,
assault and for fraudulently using the victim's credit card.
Police say he checked into the hotel using his
own information and carried her to the hotel room. Then, Pierre
allegedly left the room and used the victim's credit card to make a $14
purchase at a nearby 7-Eleven, police said.
Motel surveillance video shows the driver went to the lobby and paid for a room.
Esteban Gergely, an attorney for Pierre, said his client says she consented to go to the hotel.
"She's saying she doesn't remember anything," Gergely told The Washington Post. "If she doesn't remember anything, she certainly doesn't remember saying, 'I don't want these things to happen.' "
Gergely said Pierre was released after paying
$250 in bond, which was lowered substantially from the $150,000 to be
originally posted.
"The facts of the case are very peculiar and
they fall extremely short of being incriminating," Gergely said. "There
were no facts in the statement of charges that suggested he did any
injury or trauma."
Uber confirmed Friday that the company removed
the driver from the app once the rider reported concerns to the company
on Oct. 19.
"This is deeply upsetting," Uber spokeswoman
Brooke Anderson said to The Washington Post. "The driver has been banned
from the app and we have been working closely with police to support
the investigation."
Police: Uber driver kidnapped, assaulted female passenger
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