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St. Augustine Uber rider: driver tried to grope friend, came over uninvited after ride

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. — A St. Augustine woman said she’ll never use Uber again after a driver came to her house the day after he gave her a ride, and allegedly groped her friend.

Donna Reed said an Uber driver named Brian picked up her and her friend so they could bar hop in St. Augustine Beach.

Reed said when they got to a bar, Brian said he wasn't taking anymore fares that night and tried to hangout with them.

Reed said she and her friend tried to lose him by moving around the bar, but he stuck around and offered to drive them home because he hadn't been drinking.

Reed thought it was weird but agreed to let Brian take them home at the end of the night.

Reed said she woke up the next day and reported his behavior to Uber.

Not long after, Brian showed up at her house.

“About an hour, hour and a half later, he showed up at my door knocking,” Reed said. “I could see him through the peep hole and I said ‘Uh. I’m calling the police.’”

Reed said she called 911 while he was outside, and he eventually walked away.

“It was extremely scary,” she said.

Reed said her friend told her Brian tried to grope her as took her to her home in East Palatka.

Reed’s friend said she hopped out of the car and ran away.

Reed said Brian visited her apartment complex a second time.

“Neighbors say he came in, parked in front of my unit and was looking at it,” Reed said. “He went to the next parking lot area and just parked for a while.”

The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and St. Augustine Beach Police said they are looking into the incident.
Uber told Reed the company has launched a formal investigation.

“Don’t trust Uber,” said Reed’s neighbor Gabe Miller.  “You don’t know who you’re getting into the car with. Especially when you’re drunk.”

Reed told Action News Jax she was refunded the entire $83.16 for her and her friend’s trip.

Trending on ActionNewsJax.com:

A woman said she’ll never use Uber again after an extremely scary experience with a driver in St. Augustine Beach: http://bit.ly/1SMDzcl

Posted by Action News Jacksonville on Monday, April 4, 2016