A man who was reportedly posing as a livery driver drugged and sexually assaulted a woman inside his car in December, according to an article in the New York Post. The 34-year-old woman said she got into 55-year-old Umer Randhawa’s car on Roosevelt Ave. in Queens around 4:30am on Dec.18, believing he was a for-hire vehicle driver. He then allegedly drove her to Hancock Street near Irving Ave. in Brooklyn and assaulted her, she told investigators.
At some point during the ride, she claims the driver gave her an “unknown drug,” causing her to become drowsy, then touched her privates. The victim says she managed to call her friend on WhatsApp – and her friend called 911. Officers responded to the Bushwick scene, where Randhawa was arrested, and the victim was taken to a local hospital. Randhawa was charged with forcible touching, sexual abuse and harassment, according to the criminal complaint.
According to prosecutors and public records, Randhawa was released on bail. He claims he is not guilty of the sex crimes, never claimed to be an app-hail driver, and is a married father of four. He also claimed the woman had been asking him to hang out, and that while the two were in the car together, she asked him to perform some kind of sexual act and he said no – so she made the false accusations against him.
Randhawa has four prior arrests in NYC – the most recent in 2018 for grand larceny, authorities said. He was previously busted in 2008 for driving while intoxicated, in 2000 for jumping bail, and in 1999 for assault, police said.
Source: New York Post
