In a disturbing turn of events, a woman was reportedly sexually assaulted by a man impersonating a rideshare driver after leaving a Scottsdale nightclub; authorities have now apprehended the suspect. According to AZ Family, the victim had ordered an Uber and was misled by 35-year-old Jose Quintanilla who insisted he was her driver which she entered his vehicle before he allegedly attacked her and forced her to perform sexual acts.
The ordeal, which the victim described as a "90-minute ride from hell," happened in the early hours of February 25 after she was picked up from Cake nightclub. According to AZ Family, the woman became concerned when Quintanilla deviated from the route to her home, shesoon she realized her phone had vanished from the cup holder and Quintanilla had already turned it off. Court documents state that when the assailant parked the vehicle, he proceeded to assault the woman; she faked sickness to escape but was coerced back into the SUV after the initial attempt.
Scottsdale police, assisted by surveillance footage, later identified Quintanilla and his black Ford Escape, leading to his arrest. It was uncovered that the suspect’s rideshare account was not in operation due to incomplete registration, with 12 News reporting that data from Quintanilla's phone corroborated his presence at the scene, his phone and the victim's phone were both switched off at nearly the same time on the night of the alleged crime.
The incident has sparked new discussions about rideshare safety, and Scottsdale police have advised verifying the vehicle's details and sharing trip information with loved ones as precautions. Malia May, visiting Scottsdale for a bachelorette party, empathized with the victim in a statement obtained by AZ Family, saying, “I just hope for healing and peace in her life because I can’t even imagine how traumatizing that was.”
Quintanilla has been charged with kidnapping and sexual assault, currently jailed with a cash-only bond set at $200,000. While there are previous allegations suggesting similar behavior, investigations continue, and no other victims have been officially linked to the suspect according to 12 News.
