San Jose police are asking for the public’s help in an investigation after a teenager was allegedly sexually assaulted by a rideshare driver in downtown San Jose, and investigators believe there may be additional victims.
On Sept. 12, police said 32-year-old Anuj Kumar picked up a teenager through a rideshare app and sexually assaulted the child inside the vehicle. The incident occurred on Paseo de San Antonio near the Hammer Theatre.
“He is the one that was scheduled to conduct the rideshare service,” San Jose police spokesperson Stacie Shih said. “We feel that there may be additional victims, so we are asking the public to provide any information if this case sounds similar or familiar,” Shih said.
In a statement, Uber said: “What’s been reported is deeply disturbing and has no place on our platform. We take reports of sexual assault extremely serious, and the driver has been permanently banned from the Uber platform. Our team is supporting law enforcement with their investigation.”
According to Uber, drivers must pass a background check and regularly verify their identity.
Dr. Shivani Chmura, a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist at Palo Alto Wellness, said the case is alarming and serves as a reminder that background checks cannot predict future behavior.
“It’s very scary,” Chmura said. “It does not tell you what their intent is going to be tonight.”
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Police said the teenager notified authorities immediately after the incident.
“My understanding is this teen was very brave and did the absolute right thing, which was to call 911,” Chmura said.
Authorities used automated license plate readers to identify the suspect and arrested Kumar at his Foster City home the day after the incident, according to police.
The case also highlights rideshare use among minors. Only some California cities offer Uber for Teens, and San Jose is not one of them. As a result, teenagers must be at least 18 years old to use a rideshare service alone.
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“But that doesn’t really stop kids and parents from still using the rideshare because it’s quite safe,” Chmura said.
Still, incidents like this, she said, “really shakes everybody’s sense of safety.”
Chmura said the teenager’s decision to report the alleged assault may have helped protect others. “I believe he probably saved many future victims,” she said.
Uber offers safety features within its app, including an emergency button that allows users to call or text 911 and share real-time location and trip information with law enforcement. The app also includes an audio recording feature that can be enabled by users and accessed later by the company if needed.
Anyone with information on this case or experienced similar incidents is urged to contact San Jose Police Detective Hoang at 4684@sanjoseca.gov or 408-277-4102.
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