A South Carolina middle school teacher working as an Uber driver has been accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a female passenger.
Patrick Aiello, 39, allegedly picked up the 23-year-old woman and a male friend on Sunday evening, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by The Post and Courier reports.
Aiello dropped the man and the woman off, but she got back in the car after she realized she was too intoxicated to walk home in the dark and asked to be taken to her house a few blocks over.
Instead Aiello allegedly drove her around until she noticed that she wasn't near her home anymore. At that point, he allegedly told her she needed to pay him in sexual favors, the affidavit states.
She refused and repeatedly offered him money to let her out. He allegedly shouted at her, then pulled the car over and sexually assaulted her, the affidavit reads.
Aiello then allegedly left her on the side of the highway and drove off. She ran for help and was struck by a car, according to the affidavit.
Police responded to a report of the accident, which is when the woman informed them that she had been sexually assaulted.
She was taken to the hospital for treatment and later identified Aiello from a photo lineup.
He was arrested by police on Monday night. The affidavit states that he admitted to picking up a woman who was "too drunk," kissing her and performing oral sex on her. He faces charges of kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Aiello has been placed on paid leave while the case is under investigation, said Charleston County School District spokesman Daniel Head. Uber said that Aiello has been removed as a driver.
"Our hearts go out to the victim and her family as we investigate this incident," a spokeswoman for Uber said in a statement. "After learning of the charges, we removed the driver's access to the Uber platform, and we are assisting the authorities."
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