Uber driver accused of raping woman on ‘quiet Wrentham road’
Melvin Guerrero-Encarna pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape.
A 33-year-old Uber driver accused of raping his female passenger in Wrentham late last month was ordered held without bail at his arraignment on Tuesday. Melvin Guerrero-Encarna, of Lynn, is facing two counts rape. He pleaded not guilty to both counts in Wrentham District Court, according to the Norfolk District Attorney’s office, and he is being held pending a dangerousness hearing on Thursday.
Melvin-Guerrero-Encarna is accused of raping his Uber passenger. He has family support in court today who did not want to comment. @NBC10Boston @NECN pic.twitter.com/PREDqCFJIR
— Cassy Arsenault (@CassyArsenault) May 7, 2019
Wrentham police said in a statement that the alleged assault took place during the early hours of April 29, when Guerrero-Encarna was hired by a female passenger, who requested a ride through the ride-hailing app to get to a location in Wrentham after attending an event that ended around 2:20 a.m. that morning.
“It is alleged the defendant stopped his vehicle along a quiet Wrentham road which is where the assault occurred,” Wrentham Police Chief Bill McGrath said in the statement. “The victim sought treatment at a local hospital at which time Wrentham Police were notified.”
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The woman told officers that she remembered telling the driver when he picked her up that she “was sorry for the hassle” as the ride would only be six minutes but that she was intoxicated, according to The Boston Globe. Logs provided by Uber to police showed the ride lasted for 73 minutes. The woman told police that Guerrero-Encarna got in the backseat with her after stopping within walking distance of her destination and raped her, the Globe reports.
When she was interviewed by police, she said she was sore from bruises on her arms, legs, and back, according to WHDH.
After an investigation, Wrentham police said the 33-year-old man was taken into custody by Lynn police.
Guerrero-Encarna’s attorney told reporters before Tuesday’s arraignment that his client has been falsely accused.
“There was no assault here,” Robert Carmel-Montes said, according to WHDH. “I think that the facts will bear out that there’s a predator in this case and it’s not the man that’s behind bars.”
Carmel-Montes could not be immediately reached by Boston.com for comment on Wednesday.
Uber said in a statement that as soon as the incident was reported, the 33-year-old driver’s access to the app was removed.
“What police have reported is very upsetting and has no place on the Uber app,” the company said.
Wrentham police advised members of the public to “exercise caution” when using ride-hailing services, particularly when an unmarked or inconspicuous vehicle is involved.
“Unmarked vehicles of this type blend easily with their surrounding, unlike marked taxi cabs and buses that stand out,” the department said. “The safest practice, especially for women, is to ride in groups and to review the safety protocols in place by the ride service.”
