A Vaughan man is facing several charges after four women were sexually assaulted by an Uber driver operating in downtown Toronto and Etobicoke between late last year and October of this year.
Toronto police sex crimes investigators say the first incident occurred at 2 a.m. on Dec. 17, 2017, when a 31-year-old woman ordered an Uber to pick her up after she’d been out with friends in the area of Blue Jays Way and King Street West.
A driver arrived who was not the one assigned to her request. She got in the vehicle and investigators allege the driver took her to an area other than her home and sexually assaulted her.
On April 18, 2018 at 2 a.m., a 19-year-old woman was in the area of Bloor Street West and Madison Avenue when she ordered an Uber to get home.
Again, investigators say a driver who was not the one assigned to her request arrived and she got in his vehicle, which police said was a white minivan.
She was then driven to a secluded area near Mount Pleasant Road and Bloor Street East and sexually assaulted.
Investigators say she was able to fight off her attacker and flee the scene.
A composite sketch of the suspect and a surveillance camera image of his vehicle were released by investigators the month after this incident occurred.
On July 2 at about 2:40 a.m., police were called to Lake Shore Road East and Hurontario Street for a report of a sexual assault.
A 36-year-old woman was sitting in front of a restaurant when she was approached by a man in a car.
He offered her a ride and she accepted.
Investigators allege he drove her to a parking lot and sexually assaulted her.
She struggled with her assailant and then fled the scene.
On Oct. 13 at 2 a.m., police said they were called to Polson and Cherry streets for a similar incident.
A 35-year-old woman was waiting in a designated taxi pickup area when a man parked nearby and told her he was an Uber driver.
Investigators say he offered to help her and she got in his vehicle.
Police allege the man drove her past her desired destination, pulled over, and sexually assaulted her.
She tried to jump out of the car and eventually fled the scene.
A suspect identified as 38-year-old Senol Komec was arrested and charged with four counts of sexual assault and four counts of forcible confinement.
Uber Canada says it took action as soon as it was made aware of the incidents.
"What’s been reported is horrible and something no person should go through. As soon as we learned about these incidents, we immediately removed the driver’s access to the app.”
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call detectives at 416-808-7474.
