Off-duty Uber driver charged with sexual assault

An Uber driver has been charged with four felonies for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in Union City after he picked her up in San Francisco last month, prosecutors said Friday.

San Francisco resident Kevin Saballas, 30, was charged on Thursday with forcible oral copulation, kidnapping, false imprisonment and sexual battery, according to court documents.

He is being held in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on $270,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in court to enter a plea this morning, according to jail records.

Saballas was arrested by Union City police on Tuesday. Police said that on the morning of July 14, he picked up a woman in San Francisco, took her to Union City and sexually assaulted her on the way.

The police investigation identified Saballas as a suspect and police obtained a warrant for his arrest. He was taken into custody on Tuesday at his workplace in South San Francisco.

Police said Saballas was an Uber driver but was not working when he picked up the woman. According to a statement by the company he no longer works as a driver.

Uber officials said in a statement:

“What police describe is disturbing. … We took immediate action and removed this driver from the app as soon as we learned about this incident and will continue to work with police.”

Uber stressed the importance of riders making sure the driver picking them up is the one assigned through the app, by checking the car’s license plate, make and model and driver’s name.

Drivers making pickups should also know the name of the person they’re picking up from the app.

Any other possible victims or anyone with information about this case has been asked to call Union City police at (510) 675-5283.

Bay City News

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