MEDFORD, Ore. — Medford police arrested an Uber driver accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 21-year old woman who had booked a ride with him.
Antonio Gonzalez-Salinas, 51 was arrested on Tuesday at his house in the 1900 block of Erin Way, Medford. Police said they recovered the alleged victim’s phone from his home. Officers also seized his vehicle and other items as evidence.
According to the Medford Police Department, on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 2:41 a.m., officers responded to a possible sexual assault. The victim and her family said she was kidnapped and sexually assaulted by her Uber driver.
The woman said she was out with a group of friends in downtown Medford on Saturday night and early Sunday morning. She said she became intoxicated and her friends called for an Uber to take her to another friend’s house in East Medford.
The Uber driver arrived at 1:29 a.m., in a black Lexus, with license plate “VOLRIS.”
At about 1:45 a.m., the friends learned that she had not arrived at the destination they requested. They called her and someone hung up her phone several times. One friend was eventually able to talk to the Uber driver, who answered her phone. The driver claimed that he was having trouble finding her house. The friends continued trying to call, but no one answered the phone.
One friend contacted a relative of the victim, who was able to track her phone. At 2:07 a.m., her phone was tracked to an area about two blocks from her destination. A relative of the victim and two associates responded to the location where the phone was last pinged.
When they arrived at around 2:30 a.m., they saw the Lexus parked on the street with the victim in the passenger seat. The victim was upset and crying, and the Uber driver left the scene. The friends learned of the sexual assault and called police. Detectives learned the driver was repeatedly locking her doors as he was sexually assaulting her.
Detectives have reached out to Uber as part of our investigation.
Gonzales-Salinas has one prior conviction for misdemeanor harassment relating to a domestic violence situation that is non-sexual in nature.
Gonzales-Salinas was logged in the Jackson County Jail on the following charges:
- Kidnapping 1st Degree
- Sex Abuse 1st Degree
- Rape 1st Degree
- Public Indecency
- Bail: $360,000
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