Photo: incident location
AZUSA – He was not her Uber driver. But he was an Uber driver.
First, an anonymous and very confused Uber customer accepted a ride from a vehicle arriving at the exact pickup time and location of her call. A simple mistake, perhaps?
The vehicle was different than that assigned to her. She chose to enter the vehicle.
Next, Azusa PD reported, “the female victim realized something was wrong when the driver began asking her inappropriate questions. The driver then reached over and began inappropriately touching the victim. The victim was able to fight off the driver and exited the vehicle.”
The Uber driver made U-turn and a quick getaway.
Subsequently, Azusa PD gave immediate response to the 800 block of N. Azusa Ave. near 10 AM for sexual battery. Investigations resulted in Detectives ID’ing Luis Pena-Ayala (40) of Azusa as the suspect.
As a result, Uber confirmed Pena as an Uber driver, but not the one assigned to the pick-up. An arrest was made the next morning, without incident.
Pena spent the weekend at Azusa PD Jail, pending arraignment.
The Azusa Police Department urges anybody who uses any type of ride-share or transportation applications to be mindful of the assigned driver and vehicle. For any suspicion about the driver or vehicle, contact the company for confirmation and/or not getting into the vehicle.
Finally, Pena’s charges of Kidnapping and Sexual Battery have landed him $1 million bail.
Provide any information regarding this case to Azusa Police Department Detectives at (626) 812-3200.
