In Miami, Florida, a troubling incident has led to charges being filed against an Uber driver more than a year after an alleged crime took place. Authorities claim the driver offered a tourist a ride before sexually assaulting her after she lost consciousness in his vehicle.
The driver, identified as 42-year-old Rafael Martinez, was arrested and booked into Miami-Dade County Jail on Tuesday, October 21. He faces a charge of sexual battery involving a physically helpless victim, according to official jail documents.
In a related incident, another driver was charged with attempted murder following a shooting in downtown Tampa, as reported by the Tampa Police Department.
The alleged sexual assault was initially reported to the police on January 26, 2024, as detailed in an arrest affidavit. The victim recounted that she and a friend were staying in an Airbnb located in the Miami Beach area. On the night of January 25, 2024, the two friends visited a hotel bar for drinks.
Around midnight, the victim’s friend decided to return to their Airbnb, while the victim remained at the bar to finish her drink. Afterward, she stepped outside to arrange her own transportation. At that moment, a man approached her, inquiring if she needed an Uber, as stated in the affidavit.
The victim recalled “feeling bad and dizzy” after drinking the water and only remembered seeing a “red light” before passing out, police said.
She woke up just long enough to find a man standing over her with a shot of alcohol, according to authorities. He guided the cup to her mouth, and she blacked out again, officials said.
The next thing the victim remembered was waking up without any clothing in a dark bedroom she did not recognize, according to the affidavit.
Police said the woman found her way out of the apartment and got an Uber back to her Airbnb, where she told her friend what had happened. She immediately contacted law enforcement and requested a rape kit.
Investigators determined that the complex the woman had been at was Park Place by the Bay in Miami. Surveillance video showed the woman and Martinez at the complex together, authorities said.
Security at the apartment complex also recalled having an interaction with the woman, who seemed drunk and confused and told them “she did not know where she was or how she got there,” according to the affidavit.
An administrative assistant confirmed that Martinez was an Uber driver and told investigators he had driven her and her family to places before.
Investigators said they received the testing results from the victim’s rape kit on May 30, 2025, and months later, confirmed that a sample of Martinez’s DNA matched exhibits from the kit.
Police found and arrested Martinez on Oct. 21 at his apartment complex in Miami. Jail records show he is being held without bond.
