From New Jersey Online

ROSELLE PARK — The Linden man accused of raping a female customer after he was hired to drive her and a friend last Saturday had just begun working for Uber, the company confirmed.

“This is a deplorable incident and the partner was removed from the platform as soon as we were made aware of the allegations,” said Matthew Wing, a spokesman for the company. “We will do everything we can to assist with the investigation.”

Efren Madrigal, 25, was charged Thursday with first-degree and second-degree sexual assault, as well as third-degree and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park said.

Wing said the allegations against Madrigal were reported to Uber by local police. The women had hired Madrigal through Uber, a law-enforcement source confirmed.

“As soon as Uber received the report, we blocked the driver-partner from the platform,” Wing said.

Wing said Madrigal had been on the Uber platform for three days, operating as an UberX driver, before he was removed.

Prosecutor Park said Madrigal was with the victim and a woman friend and had come back to the victim’s apartment after they had been driven several places by Madrigal.

The victim’s friend invited Madrigal to come inside the apartment, where the three of them spent some time playing cards and talking, said Union County Assistant Prosecutor Colleen Ruppert, who is prosecuting the case.

She said the sexual assault occurred later that night.

Authorities did not release the age of the victim and did not say where the female friend was when the assault occurred. The prosecutor’s office did not identify Uber as the car service the women used.

The case was investigated by Roselle Park police and the prosecutor’s office Special Victims Unit.

Madrigal was arrested without incident at his home Wednesday, Park said. He is being held in the Union County jail on $200,000 bail.

A first-degree crime carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison upon conviction.

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