MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — An Uber driver from Chester County is facing charges after officials say he groped a passenger last month.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele says 61-year-old Robert Corcoran, of West Chester, picked up the victim and her male friend in Whitpain Township around 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 10. He dropped off her friend first, then asked the victim to move to the front seat after he got out.
Steele says Corcoran made lewd comments toward the victim and touched her without consent. Officials say Corcoran then followed the victim after arriving at her home, attempted to kiss her, then hugged her as she ran into the residence.
The victim told investigators she spent the night terrified in her room that Corcoran would return to her home.
Corcoran turned himself into Whitpain Township police on Thursday. He is facing indecent assault and harassment charges, with a bond set at $25,000.
“The actions reported here are extremely disturbing. Sexual misconduct of any kind is never tolerated, and we banned the driver from the Uber platform as soon as it was reported to us,” an Uber spokesperson said.
According to Uber, the app has many safety features for riders and drivers, including an emergency button, through which users can call or text 911; RideCheck, which makes sure drivers and riders are OK in the event of a possible crash or unexpected long stop; Live Help from a safety agent; PIN verification; Share My Trip; On-Trip Reporting; and Follow My Ride for drivers.
According to Uber, riders can also use its Safety Incident Reporting Line. Every trip is tracked via GPS. There is also an Uber Survivor Resources Hotline and Fund, launched in 2020. It’s in partnership with RAINN — a nonprofit anti-sexual assault organization — to provide confidential crisis support and specialized services to survivors who report critical sexual assault incidents on the Uber app.