Colorado Uber driver arrested after alleged sexual assault, Arvada police say
An Uber driver in the Denver metro area has been arrested and faces sexual assault charges after allegedly assaulting an intoxicated passenger in his car and then driving away with her after her boyfriend got out of the car. Police think there may be other victims and are urging them to come forward.
On Monday, Javier Delgado-Cordoba, 29, turned himself in at the Jefferson County Jail on an arrest warrant from the Arvada Police Department for charges of sexual assault.
"We recognize that these types of crimes are deeply personal and difficult to report," Arvada Police Chief Ed Brady said in a statement on Tuesday. "Our goal in sharing this information is to ensure that anyone who may have been affected knows they are not alone and that support and resources are available."
On Tuesday, Arvada police investigators said that the incident was reported to them in January, but it took time for DNA analysis and other evidence took time to be processed. According to police, the woman said she and her boyfriend got picked up by Delgado-Cordoba at a Denver-area bar, after requesting a ride to a home in Arvada.
Delgado-Cordoba picked them up in a light-colored 2023 Kia K5 sedan with license plate 642RDGZ26. When they arrived at the home, the boyfriend briefly got out of the car to unlock the door. In that time, Delgado-Cordoba climbed into the backseat, police said. When the boyfriend returned, Delgado-Cordoba got back into the driver's seat and drove off with the woman still inside.
The woman was later dropped off at a business in another city, where employees helped her get in touch with family members, police said. She reported that she may have been sexually assaulted and sought medical care and participated in a sexual assault evidence test.
DNA test results and information from his Uber profile led investigators to Delgado-Cordoba. Police say that, according to his profile, he had been driving for Uber for about a year, did over 1,000 rides, and used several vehicles while working, although police didn't provide details about those other possible vehicles.
"Based on the circumstances of this case, investigators believe there may be other individuals who have been victimized by this suspect but have not reported it to law enforcement," Arvada police said in a statement on Tuesday. "Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Delgado-Cordoba, is encouraged to contact the Arvada Police Department tip line at (720) 898-7171 and reference case AR26001904."
Delgado-Cordoba was booked into the Jefferson County Jail, where he remains on a $20,000 cash-only bond. He faces charges of sexual assault of a helpless victim, sexual assault of a victim incapable of appraising conduct, and sexual assault without consent. He's being represented by a public defender and is due in court on May 20.