CHESHIRE — Police in Cheshire issued a warning Wednesday after a middle school student reported an incident with an Uber driver. But, it turns out, police said, that was all just a misunderstanding.
Police were called Wednesday morning after a girl, who lives near Dodd Middle School, was approached by a white four door sedan parked at the end of her driveway.
The girl told police the man called out to her by her first name and stated he was her Uber driver. Several times he asked her to ride in his car, until she went back into her house, she told officers.
But, later Wednesday night, after seeing a social media post about this story, a Cheshire woman spoke out explaining the misunderstanding that had taken place. The woman did call an Uber this morning and has a similiar name to the young girl.
Police then spoke to the Uber driver, who gave them his full cooperation in the investigation. He told police that he was in the right neighborhood but the GPS gave him the wrong street. When he saw the girl leaving her house checking her cell phone, he stopped, assuming she was his customer.
After the girl went back inside, the driver realized that he was at the wrong house, called the actual customer, and continued on his way. He told his customer what had happened, police said.
Cheshire police say while this incident turned out to be a misunderstanding, it can be used as a teaching moment for everyone.
“If approached by a stranger, whether on foot or in a vehicle, get away from that person to an area of safety as quickly as possible and then immediately notify a parent, teacher, or other responsible and trusted adult of the incident,” police said in a statement. “The Cheshire Police Department would like to reiterate that the young female who had originally reported this incident conducted herself in a manner which should be commended and modelled by others in the future.”
Uber also offered these tips to use their services safely:
- Only take trips with drivers you request through the app – there are no street hails with Uber.
- Before the ride begins – Double-check the license plate, driver name and photo shown to you in the app. We encourage riders to double check all these details and make sure they match the driver and car. Riders are also able to see a driver’s rating to determine if they wish to proceed with a journey.
- During the trip – Share trip details with friends and family. Riders can share their trip details, including estimated time of arrival and the specific route, with friends and family so they can follow the trip and know when they’ve arrived safely.
- After the ride ends – Provide feedback. Riders rate their driver and vice versa, and can provide feedback to Uber. Our safety team reviews this information and investigates any issues. Our customer support staff are ready to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week.