A Carmichael man who worked as an Uber driver has been convicted in Yolo County of two counts of sexual battery for an attack inside a UC Davis student's home on Nov. 1, 2023, and now faces up to one year in county jail, according to prosecutors.
Jurors heard that the defendant, identified by the district attorney's office as 46-year-old Safiullah Miakhil, climbed into the back seat, then groped, kissed and fondled the student against her will after entering her Davis home, according to FOX40. The student immediately reported the incident to police and later took the stand at trial. The jury ultimately returned guilty verdicts on two counts of sexual battery.
Deputy District Attorney Stefanie Deciollis praised the student's choice to testify, saying she showed “immeasurable courage and tenacity.” Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig said the verdict validated the victim and urged riders to stay alert when using ride-hailing services, FOX40 reported. The case now moves to sentencing, where a county jail term, not state prison, is the maximum punishment that prosecutors have alleged.
Rideshare litigation is drawing national attention
The Davis case lands at a time when high-profile civil lawsuits over assaults linked to rideshare trips are surfacing in courts around the country. In a recent bellwether trial in Arizona, a federal jury ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a passenger who said she was raped during a 2023 ride, a verdict that has renewed debate over how much responsibility the company bears for rider safety, according to the Los Angeles Times. Uber has said it plans to appeal the Arizona judgment.
Help for students and next steps
UC Davis is reminding students that confidential advocacy, reporting options and safety planning are available through the campus CARE office and Title IX resources, and that they can choose to report to the university, law enforcement, both or neither. The campus outlines reporting steps, interim protections and other support services on its Sexual Violence Prevention and Response website.
Reporting note: This story is based primarily on the FOX40 account of the Yolo County verdict. We also reviewed national coverage of related rideshare litigation in the Los Angeles Times and UC Davis resource materials, but could not locate an official Yolo County District Attorney press release or additional local reporting as of publication. We will update this story if court filings or further public statements become available.
