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Man gets life plus 60 years for posing as Uber driver, raping 2 women

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SmittenKitten
2098 Rider
 Posted 5 years, 6 months ago
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Smitten Kitten (SmittenKitten)
2098 Rider
Ride Scholar from Washington DC

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Sigh. Hearing about these way too often. Is this a problem with Uber backgroud checks or is it something else? Discouraging.

"A man who kidnapped and raped two young women in Buckhead while posing as an Uber driver was sentenced Friday to life plus 60 years in prison, authorities said.

Gabriel Rendon-Villasana, 33, of Duluth, was found guilty of pretending to be an Uber driver at least twice, convincing women to get into his car when they left bars and then sexually assaulting them inside his vehicle, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.

“This man tossed aside my basic rights as a human being,” one of the women said. “The consequences of drinking are a hangover, a headache, nausea. Not rape. Not kidnapping. Not aggravated assault.”

https://www.ajc.com/news/crime--law/man-gets-life-plus-years-for-posing-uber-driver-raping-women-buckhead/rdUvQz3Pq3TyXblCOGtNvK/

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SmittenKitten
2098 Rider

Here's a good articlef for the riders.  It's tips on how to identify and finding your driver. 

https://ride.guru/lounge/p/how-do-i-know-if-the-uber-driver-is-who-he-says-he-is

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    momof4
    8198 Rider Driver
     5 years ago  (edited 5 years ago)

    Check to see if the drivers picture matches, license plate, and car are correct. I have had quite a few passengers recently who ask what address I am taking them to.  If I cant answer that you best not go for that ride.

    Ubers background checks are 3RD PARTY they are NOT ACCURATE no matter what 3rd party company does them.  You need to do a FINGERPRINTED FBI background check for all info to show up. I am sure some of these drivers who do commit crimes may not have been caught before so they dont have a record yet.

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      JustSchmidt
      86 Rider
       5 years ago

      I would imagine this is a huge red flag when the passengers don’t know where the car is headed. Shouldn’t that immediately indicate a fraud?

      It’s like when the passenger asks the name of the passenger. Lol. There aren’t that many things drivers have to identify the customer, so really if the person you are picking up doesn’t have the name and destination, there isn’t much they can do. 

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        momof4
        8198 Rider Driver
         5 years ago

        Many people have their eyes glued to their phone and pay no attention to route especially the younger passengers (20 somethings). When I pull up I ask their name. Once in the car and I start trip I  sometimes remember to check their destination address with them sometimes I dont. I've had a few lately who will say "what address do you have",  "what address do you have want to make sure I put right one in" or "do you have right address" At first I thought why are you they asking me what address dont they know. I joked with a few riders as to not kniwing what they entered  they responded, "too many horror stories I check the pic, what kind of car, license plate, and if you as the driver dont know my address something isnt right".  If its a busy area with multiple groups of people they need to tell me address before I show them what I have as someone may be stealing a ride lol

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    RedANT
    1072 Rider Driver
     5 years ago

    What part of "POSING AS A UBER DRIVER" do you not understand? 

    If I dressed up as an employee at the Burger King you work at and committed a crime, should you be penalized because someone pretended to be an employee? 

    This guy didn't go through a background check, because he wasn't a real driver.

    PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING.

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      SmittenKitten
      OP 2098 Rider
       5 years ago

      Touché. My apologies.

      You are right, this guy was impersonating a driver, meaning he probably drove up to bar and picked up someone already waiting for an Uber. I can see that working pretty well.

      What makes this story interesting is that this wouldn't have happened in a traditional taxi service where the cars were well marked. (or bright yellow)

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        RedANT
        1072 Rider Driver
         5 years ago

        The troubling part is that Uber drivers aren't allowed to pick up anyone except rides that are pre arranged through the app, so people are just hopping into cars without even knowing whose car it is.  The system works as long as everyone follows the rules.  Unfortunately, many riders, (and quite a few drivers) aren't familiar with the rules. 

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    babarett
    196 Rider
     5 years ago

    Not to be a jerk but it is just common safety to not get in a strangers car. If this guy was just posing as a driver then obviously he was not the Uber driver that was stated on the riders app. Rider's need to be more aware than this!!

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      ClancyJones
      76 Rider
       5 years ago

      It's funny because every Uber driver is technically a stranger.

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      blackandyellow
      147
       5 years ago

      I have to agree with you, I mean this really is a story of people willingly getting into a strangers car. It is only Uber's responsibility to ensure the safety of their drivers not posers.

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    JWileySmith
    148 Rider
     5 years ago

    So Uber is supposed to be safer with gps and all.  Why do these crooks think they get away with this?  or do they just simply not think it through?

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      SmittenKitten
      OP 2098 Rider
       5 years ago

      Probably the latter.

      Completely premeditated though. TWO.  and probably used Uber with this goal in mind.

      I'd like to know how many other rides he had given. That context matters.

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        SmittenKitten
        OP 2098 Rider
         5 years ago

        as RedANT mentions above, this was a man who was pretending to be an Uber driver. .so yeah, of course it was premeditated. LOL  and that also explain why he thought he can get away.

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