Another day, another Uber driver arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a passenger. At this point, could you blame a person far more cynical than I for concluding the mandatory $1 “safety fee”
And while the details are vague, the background is pretty horrifying. The AP reports this accused Uber driver isn’t just another man with a license who allegedly tried to rape an intoxicated woman. No—this accused Uber driver, who allegedly tried to rape an intoxicated woman, is also also a molder of middle school minds.
Multiple media outlets report that according to an arrest affidavit, 39-year-old Patrick Aiello of Charleston demanded sexual favors Sunday night from a 23-year-old intoxicated female passenger in his car. The woman says Aiello attacked and sexually assaulted her before kicking her out of the vehicle.
Aiello, a teacher at Zucker Middle School in North Charleston, was arrested Monday on charges of kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
An Uber spokesperson tells the AP Aiello has been removed as a driver, which seems like the least they could do. How about better oversight? Real background checks? Seems not unreasonable—if, say, you’re going to charge passengers not to get raped—to ensure passengers don’t get raped.
Image via AP. Contact the author at gabrielle@gawker.com.