Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on Daudah Mayanja, the Uber driver charged with two counts of rape following the alleged sexual assault of a passenger early Saturday morning.
Mayanja, 37, is a Ugandan citizen, according to a release from Massachusetts State Police.
The alleged sexual assault occurred near the Hatch Shell in Boston overnight Saturday; law enforcement received the report of the incident around 1:15 a.m. An investigation by authorities led to the arrest of Mayanja, who currently resides in Waltham.
Police said the alleged victim is a woman who was transported to an area hospital for treatment.
"That’s really scary," Boston native Molly Hanlon said. "I know my mom always warns me, she’s always worried about Uber and I think it’s obviously important to be aware, make sure they know your name. But it’s scary. It’s things that you don’t think happen."
State Police Crime Scene Services personnel and a chemist for Massachusetts State Police collected the potential evidence for forensic analysis, and state police are investigating the matter.
An Uber spokesperson released a statement, calling the incident "horrible" and saying it will help authorities as they investigate the incident.
"What’s been reported is horrible and something no one should ever go through," Uber's statement read. "We stand ready to support law enforcement with their investigation.”
Uber also said it's increasing its safety features, and said riders can call 911 directly through the app while sharing their location with their GPS technology.
Some Uber riders say they already use some of the app's safety features, but said crimes like this are just another reminder to be extra cautious with the service.
"I think it’s convenient and I think it’s a thing people need, and most of the time it’s better to not walk home to take an Uber instead," Hanlon said.
Mayanja was being held on $25,000 bail, but it has since been increased to $100,000.
He is set to be arraigned Monday in Boston Municipal Court.
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