Uber driver arrested in Ithaca on sex abuse charges
ITHACA, N.Y. (WENY) -- A 33-year-old man from Syracuse was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting someone in his Uber-affiliated vehicle in Ithaca last month.
Ithaca Police charged 33-year-old Salah-Eddeen M. Mikki from Syracuse for Sexual Abuse in the First Degree on June 17th, following an investigation into the alleged sexual abuse that happened on May 24th.
Ithaca Police said the victim got inside Mikki's vehicle, was driven to a nearby location, and was pinned down and touched. Police said the victim was able to escape and called for help.
According to police, Mikki is an Uber driver. However police have not said if the victim was an Uber customer, or was in the car in a non-Uber related capacity.
An Uber spokesperson said, "The reported details are deeply unsettling. We take reports like this very seriously and have removed the driver’s access as we investigate. In addition, we have been assisting law enforcement with their investigation.”
Mikki was arraigned in Ithaca City Court and will appear in court at a later date. Ithaca Police are asking anyone with more information, or similar experiences, to contact them or their local police agency.
You can reach Ithaca Police in the following ways,
Police Dispatch: 607-272-3245
Police Administration: 607-272-9973
Police Tipline: 607-330-0000
Anonymous Tip Submission: www.cityofithaca.org/ipdtips