Uber Driver Charged After Touching Rider In Southern Ocean: Prosecutor

LITTLE EGG HARBOR, NJ — A Little Egg Harbor man was charged after inappropriately touching a rider while he was working as an Uber driver in Tuckerton, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

Ronald Yaniak, 56, was charged with criminal sexual contact in connection with the March 4 incident, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Tuckerton police received a 911 call from a woman on March 4 saying that she had been touched inappropriately by her Uber driver, Billhimer said.

She and three passengers had called for an Uber ride from Barnegat to Tuckerton, Billhimer said.

It was during the ride that Yaniak touched the victim, who was in the front passenger seat, Billhimer said.

Investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Victim's Unit and Tuckerton police revealed that Yaniak was the driver and did, in fact, touch the passenger, Billhimer said.

“We take reports of sexual misconduct extremely seriously, and this driver’s described actions are disturbing. He no longer has access to the Uber platform, and we are standing by to assist police on their investigation,” an Uber spokesperson told Patch.

The spokesperson said that Uber is continuing to look into the matter. Uber also has a variety of resources available, the spokesperson said, including a dedicated Public Safety team to assist law enforcement, safety resources on the platform, a dedicated Survivor Resources Hotline and Fund in partnership with RAINN, sexual misconduct education for all drivers and more.

Yaniak was charged on March 5 at the Tuckerton Police Department and was processed and released on a summons pending a future appearance in Ocean County Superior Court, Billhimer said.