A driver for the ride-hailing company Lyft has been charged in the rape of a passenger.
A 33-year-old woman contacted Lyft after midnight Wednesday to request a ride home, and Amir Sami Handouk, a 33-year-old resident of Virginia, picked up the woman up, Prince William County police said.
Handouk assaulted the passenger near her home in Gainsville, police say.
After the alleged assault, the woman went home and contacted police later that day.
Handouk, of White Post, Virginia, was arrested Friday and charged with rape and object sexual penetration. He is being held without bond.
A spokesperson for Lyft said Handouk has been permanently deactivated as a driver.
"These allegations are extremely upsetting, and we were horrified to learn about this incident. The safety of the Lyft community is our number one priority, and we have absolutely no tolerance for this behavior," said the spokesperson.
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The company says representatives reached out to the passenger and law enforcement.
It was not immediately clear whether Handouk has an attorney.
A court date is pending.
