By Ryan Parker
Los Angeles Times
DENVER — An Uber driver in Colorado was arrested Tuesday after he tried to break into the home of a passenger he had dropped off at an airport, Denver police said.
Gerald Montgomery, 51, took the woman to Denver International Airport on Thursday, then returned to her home and “tried to break in through the back door with burglary tools,” said Sonny Jackson, spokesman for the Denver Police Department.
He said the woman’s roommate was home at the time and confronted Montgomery, who fled.
Montgomery was arrested on suspicion of attempted criminal burglary, a felony, Jackson said.
Uber said it took swift action.
“Upon learning about this incident from our valued rider, we immediately deactivated the driver’s access to the platform, pending a full investigation,” Uber spokesman Taylor Patterson said in an email. “We remain committed to supporting Denver law enforcement in any way we can.”
Since Uber’s inception, a number of drivers for the popular ride-hailing service have been accused of criminal activity.
In February, Los Angeles police began investigating a driver accused of sexually assaulting a passenger in Mar Vista, Calif., on the west side of Los Angeles. Uber said the accused driver was “removed from the platform” while the case was being investigated.
In December, a driver in Chicago was charged with sexual assault. Prosecutors said he took a drunk 22-year-old passenger back to his apartment, The Chicago Tribune reported. Less than three weeks later, another Uber driver in Chicago was charged with sexual assault as well, the Tribune said.
According to Uber’s website, the company’s background checks for potential drivers include looking at federal, state, county and sex offender records.
Montgomery was arrested in Golden, west of Denver, and is being held in the Jefferson County jail, Jackson said.
Montgomery is being held in lieu of $10,000 bond and is scheduled in court Friday for a first appearance, The Denver Post reported, citing jail records.
Copyright 2015 Los Angeles Times