A metro Denver Uber driver was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a passenger, and investigators believe there may be more victims in the case, the said.
Javier Delgado-Cordoba, 29, is accused of assaulting a woman in the back of his car in Arvada in January, police officials said this week. Delgado-Cordoba turned himself in Monday.
Investigators said the assault happened after a woman and her boyfriend requested an Uber to pick them up at a bar in the Denver area and take them to a home in Arvada. The couple was picked up by a driver named Javier in a 2023 Kia K5 sedan.
When they arrived at their destination, the woman’s boyfriend got out of the car to unlock the home, which is when Delgado-Cordoba got into the back seat. When the boyfriend returned, Delgado-Cordoba got back in the driver’s seat and drove away with the woman still inside.
She was later dropped off at a business in another city, Arvada police said, and employees at the business helped her get in touch with family.
Police identified Delgado-Cordoba as a suspect through his ride-hail profile, social media and DNA. He drove for Uber for about a year and had given more than 1,000 rides and may have used other vehicles, according to the department.
“We recognize that these types of crimes are deeply personal and difficult to report,” Arvada Police Chief Ed Brady said in a statement. “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.”
The case comes less than a year after Gov. Jared Polis vetoed a bill that would have placed new safety and reporting requirements on ride-hail companies such as Uber and Lyft. At the time, Polis acknowledged the need for tighter regulations but said he was influenced to reject the bill after Uber threatened to leave the state if the bill passed.
Deldago-Cordoba is in custody at the Jefferson County jail on $20,000 bail. He is set to appear in court May 20.
Anyone who believes they may be a victim can contact their local law enforcement agency or the Arvada police tip line at 720-898-7171 and reference case AR26001904.
