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Police seek driver after woman flees suspected rideshare impersonator near Kent
A 25-year-old woman who believed she was entering her Uber in Seattle said the driver instead took her south toward Kent. She escaped from the car at a red light, and Seattle police are asking for tips to identify the driver and vehicle.
Seattle police are investigating after a woman said a man posing as her Uber driver picked her up in Pioneer Square and drove her south to Kent, where she escaped from the car at a red light.
The 25-year-old had ordered a ride on Oct. 10 after leaving a bar in the 400 block of First Avenue South, police said. A man in a white four-door sedan confirmed the ride was for her, and she got in without checking the vehicle’s license plate or the driver’s name.
She became concerned when the driver passed her exit and she received a notification that her Uber ride had been canceled. She then realized he was following directions from Google Maps rather than the Uber app, according to police.
As the car continued south on Interstate 5, she alerted friends. She told police the driver left the freeway and went through three intersections. Fearing for her safety, she jumped out when the car stopped at a red light and ran away. Her friends found her shortly afterward near Military Road South and Kent-Des Moines Road, police said. The driver sped off.
Seattle police are seeking information about the suspect and the white sedan. Tips can be sent to the department’s violent crimes tip line at 206-233-5000. Police said surveillance cameras in the neighborhood where she was picked up had been turned off and did not capture the vehicle.
Detective Brian Pritchard said reports of riders feeling uncomfortable with drivers occur periodically, but cases like this are rare. Police recommend that passengers confirm a driver’s name, photo and license plate before getting in, share trip details with friends, and call or text 911 if they feel unsafe.