Uber driver arrested for sexually assaulting 12-year-old rider
PLANO, Texas - A North Texas Uber driver is accused of sexually assaulting his 12-year-old passenger.
The ridesharing company says drivers go through annual screenings. However, Plano police say no matter how many things are done right, predators can still find a way into the system.
The alleged assault happened earlier this month while 31-year-old Robert Johnson III, of Garland, was working as an Uber Health driver.
Police say Johnson picked the girl up from a therapy facility in Frisco to take her home to Plano.
The conversation during the ride was very graphic, investigators say.
Johnson then pulled off the road on Legacy Drive in Plano. That’s when police say he made the girl get in the front seat and sexually assaulted her in the parking lot.
Before he dropped her off, Johnson allegedly told the girl if she said anything, there would be "issues."
According to the arrest affidavit, the girl told her therapist the next day.
Johnson was arrested on July 12 and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.
Robert Johnson III (Plano PD)
"I think it's very brave that the child came forward to discuss what happened," said Plano Police Officer Jennifer Chapman. "And we hope that more children do."
Police say the girl was alone in the Uber because her mom called for the ride on the Uber Health app designed to take people to and from medical facilities.
"This facility and Uber Health work in partnership to get people who are using their facility to and from their location safely," said Chapman. "The mother thought that she was doing the right thing and that they would do the right thing. Unfortunately, no matter how things are done right, there are predators that are going to infiltrate these systems."
FILE - In this photo illustration, the Uber logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen with a car in the background. (Photo Illustration by Thiago Prudencio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Uber says drivers undergo background checks every year, and public records show Johnson doesn’t have any criminal history.
A spokesperson for Uber confirmed the company is cooperating with the police investigation.
"This monstrous behavior has no place in our society or on the Uber platform. We take reports of this nature very seriously and have permanently banned the driver. We have been in touch with the Plano Police Department regarding their investigation," the company said in a statement.
Uber says there’s an emergency button in the app that riders and drivers can push if there is a safety incident during the ride.
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Plano police encourage people to take extra steps to ensure safety while using a ride share, like remaining in the backseat and sharing your location with others.
"There's also applications where the child could be live streaming to a parent. So basically the parent is riding with the child at the same time," Chapman said. "I think those applications are helpful."
Johnson bonded out of jail Monday night.
Investigators are now trying to determine if Johnson has any other potential victims.
Anyone with information about him is asked to contact 972-941-2044 or policetips@plano.gov.