Uber Driver Charged with Indecently Assualting Passenger During Trip to Norwood

Norwood, MA — A Lawrence man is accused of assaulting a woman who he was driving to Norwood.

Junior Clarke, 32, was arrested Saturday and charged with indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, assault and battery, accosting/annoying a person of the opposite sex, according to the Massachusetts State Police.

Shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday, state police received a 911 call from a person who said that a 25-year-old woman from her family member told her that she was being sexually assaulted by her Uber driver while traveling from Methuen to Norwood. State police put out an alert for the driver's vehicle and determined that the victim was in Norwood. Police rushed to the location, but missed the driver by a few minutes, police said.

A police investigation determined that the victim called the ride service from a friend’s house in Methuen shortly before 5 a.m. and requested a ride to anther friend’s house in Norwood. Having never used Uber before, the victim was picked up and asked the driver where she should sit. The driver, identified as Clarke, allegedly told her to sit in the front seat.

The vehicle traveled down Interstates 95 and 93. Several minutes into the ride, the driver allegedly began asking the victim personal questions about relationships, and then repeatedly asked her to kiss him, which she continually refused to do. At one point during the ride, the driver asked the victim to “friend request” him SnapChat, and handed her his phone to do so.

The victim told police after the driver tried to kiss her, he allegedly began touching her inappropriately and making obscene and sexually-themed statements. At one point grabbed her arm and pulled it toward her body, the victim said.

Throughout the incident, the victim turned her body away from the driver in an attempt to impede his ability to touch her. According to the victim, the behavior stopped several minutes before the driver dropped her off in Norwood. She was transported to Norwood Hospital shortly afterwards.

The victim was able to provide police with information on Clarke thanks to the Uber confirmation and social media account information she saw when she was handed his cell phone. She told police that she was in fear for her safety during the incident.

Police identified Clarke as the driver and attempted to arrest him at his home Saturday, but were unable to find him. Later in the day, Clarke agreed to turn himself in at the Andover Barracks.

It was determined that the alleged crimes took place in Middlesex County and he will be arranged Thursday in Woburn District Court.

Information in this article is from the Massachusetts State Police. Arrests and charges mentioned don't imply conviction.