A Lyft driver has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a passenger on a trip from West Hollywood to Santa Monica.
On Wednesday afternoon, Santa Monica police announced the arrest of 34-year-old Fernando Macias Morales of Los Angeles.
On Sept. 7, investigators responded to Pennsylvania Avenue in Santa Monica, after a woman reported her driver picked her up from a restaurant in West Hollywood and then sexually assaulted her on her drive home.
Santa Monica police said the woman fell asleep in the car and then woke up to the man inappropriately touching her.
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Authorities said when the woman got home, she realized several hours had passed.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office has charged Morales with felony counts of kidnapping to commit a sexual act, sexual penetration and oral copulation of a person intoxicated or under sedation.
Lyft released a statement about the arrest of their driver:
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“The behavior described is reprehensible and has no place in the Lyft community or anywhere in society. Upon learning of this incident, we permanently banned the driver from the Lyft platform, contacted the rider to offer support, and assisted law enforcement with their investigation.”
Santa Monica Police say no other victims have been identified.
