Uber driver charged in kidnapping and assault of Friendswood woman; ICE detainer lodged

Rideshare driver arrested, charged with aggravated kidnapping

Kidnapped and assaulted by an Uber driver. That's what happened to a Friendswood woman in June. Now that driver is behind bars on an immigration hold.

GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas - Friendswood police say they arrested 49-year-old Sameh Chami, who is now charged with aggravated kidnapping out of Galveston County. 

What we know:

Chami is being held in the Friendswood County Jail after his arrest Wednesday and is being held on an immigration detainer, according to police.

Court documents in the case say that on June 28, the 21-year-old victim called an Uber from Buckshot's Saloon in Galveston to her home in Friendswood. 

The records say Chami was her driver and the victim shared her trip progress through the app with her family, who were expecting her home.

Her family got notification that the trip had concluded, and the victim was dropped off, but she never walked through the door, according to records.

The documents say her family used another app to track her location and followed it to an empty parking lot where they found the victim in the front seat of the Uber. 

The records say Chami told her family "she fell asleep" and her family took her home. 

The documents say that Friendswood police viewed security footage from the parking lot showing Chami get into the backseat of the Uber with the victim and engaging with her for over a minute before both returned to the front seats. 

Records say the victim informed police she was intoxicated, falling asleep and didn't remember much, but remembers Chami putting his hands down her pants. 

Friendswood police say after further investigation, detectives found that the driver had intentionally ended the ride before dropping the female off at the residence in Friendswood.

Unsettling Rideshare Reality 

Kelley Bogusevic is a local attorney who represents victims of rideshare assaults in civil cases. 

"As a woman myself and having a daughter also, it's heartbreaking to see how prevalent these issues are," she said. "The companies have the tools and resources to prevent what is happening."

FOX 26 reached out to Uber asking specific questions:

How long was Chami operating as an Uber driver and have there been any complaints against him before? Is he currently still active in the system?

Does Uber require drivers to be a legal/permanent resident of the country they are driving in? Is this verified through a SSN or other ways?

What are the next steps for Uber in a situation like this one? Is the rider entitled to any resolution?

What are the next steps for Chami and his affiliation with Uber?

Uber did not address the questions specifically and replied with this statement:

"It’s sickening to hear any report of this nature happening on the Uber platform. We removed the driver’s access to the app as soon as this was reported to us and stand ready to support law enforcement with their investigation. Safety is foundational to Uber, which is why we’ve continuously built innovative safety features, launched awareness campaigns, and partnered with safety experts to help prevent harm before it happens." 

How to stay safe 

Bogusevic suggests that any rider follow the following safety precautions:

• Verify who your driver is before riding
• Check the drivers star rating and reviews
• Follow along the route and ensure the driver is headed in the correct direction
• Share your trip progress with loved ones
• Share your location with loved ones in a separate app
• If something bad does happen, call 911 personally, not through the rideshare app
• Report any incidents to the police and the rideshare company

More information about Uber's incident reports and safety standards can be found here.