Woman allegedly sexually assaulted in Vaughan by ‘rideshare’ driver

Police are looking for a suspect and witnesses after a woman was sexually assaulted by a man who presented himself as a driver in Vaughan late last week.

The incident happened Friday near Highway 27 and Nashville Road, north of Major Mackenzie Drive.

York Regional Police (YRP) said around 7 a.m. a woman was waiting for a bus in Brampton, near Bramalea and Countryside Roads, south of Mayfield Road, when a man approached her in a black sedan, presenting himself as the driver of a ride, and offered her a ride.

She accepted and the man then drove her to the aforementioned area of ​​Vaughan where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

The victim was able to escape. Two bystanders in a gray or white vehicle assisted her. The police want to speak to them.

The suspect meanwhile fled the area.

He is described as an Indian male, 23 to 25 years old, with black hair, black eyes, a thin build, five feet tall, and a full beard about two inches long. The suspect was driving a black sedan, police said.

Investigators are reminding members of the public using rideshare services to always verify the vehicle, license plate and driver, and urge anyone who may have been victimized in this way to contact them to take.

Police in Peel Region are also investigating a similar incident that happened in Brampton on Friday.

Anyone with information about this or other related sexual assaults is asked to call YRP’s Special Victims Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7071, or Crime Stoppers Anonymous.