Colorado Uber driver arrested after alleged sexual assault, police say

An Uber driver in the Denver metro area has been arrested and faces multiple sexual assault charges after allegedly assaulting an intoxicated passenger during a ride and driving away with her while her boyfriend was briefly outside the vehicle, CBS News reported.

According to the Arvada Police Department, 29-year-old Javier Delgado-Cordoba turned himself in on Monday at the Jefferson County Jail on an arrest warrant related to the incident.

“We recognize that these types of crimes are deeply personal and difficult to report,” Arvada Police Chief Ed Brady said in a statement on Tuesday. “Our goal in sharing this information is to ensure that anyone who may have been affected knows they are not alone and that support and resources are available.”

Investigators said the incident was reported in January, though processing DNA evidence and other materials took several months. Police say the woman and her boyfriend had requested a ride from a Denver-area bar to a home in Arvada.

The driver allegedly picked them up in a light-colored 2023 Kia K5. When they arrived at their destination, the woman’s boyfriend briefly exited the vehicle to unlock the door. During that time, police say the driver moved into the backseat. When the boyfriend returned, the driver resumed his position behind the wheel and drove off with the woman still inside.

Authorities said the woman was later dropped off at a business in another city, where employees helped her contact family members. She reported that she may have been sexually assaulted, sought medical care, and underwent a sexual assault evidence exam.

Police said DNA evidence and information from the driver’s Uber profile led investigators to Delgado-Cordoba. According to his profile, he had been driving for Uber for about a year and had completed more than 1,000 rides using multiple vehicles.

Investigators believe there may be additional victims and are urging anyone who may have had contact with the suspect to come forward.

“Based on the circumstances of this case, investigators believe there may be other individuals who have been victimized by this suspect but have not reported it to law enforcement,” Arvada police said in a statement. “Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Delgado-Cordoba, is encouraged to contact the Arvada Police Department tip line at (720) 898-7171 and reference case AR26001904.”

Delgado-Cordoba remains in custody on a $20,000 cash-only bond. He faces charges including sexual assault of a helpless victim, sexual assault of a victim incapable of appraising conduct, and sexual assault without consent. He is being represented by a public defender and is scheduled to appear in court on May 20.

As this case moves through the criminal justice system, it unfolds against the backdrop of broader litigation involving Uber. In one recent federal bellwether trial, a jury in North Carolina ordered the company to pay $5,000 to a woman who said she was sexually assaulted by a driver, signaling that juries may be willing to find Uber liable even when damages are relatively modest. That decision followed an earlier federal trial in Arizona, where a jury awarded $8.5 million to a woman who said she was raped by an Uber driver at age 19. Together, these outcomes continue to shape how courts and juries evaluate responsibility, safety measures, and the experiences of survivors in cases involving rideshare platforms.