Encino Man, Driver for Rideshare Company, Suspected of Kidnapping Woman

Originally posted at 3:06 p.m. June 3, 2014. Edited with new details.

A driver for a rideshare company was in custody today on $1 million bail, accused of kidnapping a woman and taking her to a motel room in Panorama City.

Frederick Dencer, 32, of Encino, was arrested Monday and booked on suspicion of "kidnap for purpose of sexual assault," Los Angeles police Lt. Paul Vernon said.

The alleged victim, a 26-year-old woman, called 911 about 6 a.m. Monday from a convenience store in Panorama City to report she had just left a motel room where a man had been lying next to her with his shirt off, Vernon said.

"She did not know him, and did not remember how she got there," Vernon said.

Detectives learned that the woman had been bar-hopping in West Los Angeles the night before, and she had an account with the Uber rideshare company, which employs Dencer, Vernon said.

Vernon said it was unclear if she had called the company for a ride, or if a worker for the Greystone Manor nightclub -- her last stop of the evening -- had asked Dencer to give her a ride home.

Detectives believe the woman's ride was not arranged officially through Uber, Vernon said.

"Had this been an official Uber assignment, Dencer would have received the victim's home address with the fare," Vernon said. "But in this case, the victim was too drunk to tell him."

The investigation led to the Panorama Motel, where detectives found Dencer in a room, Vernon said.

"Dencer answered questions, but his story didn't make sense," Vernon said. "Once the officers watched video from the motel, they realized the victim was carried into the motel, and that didn't (match) Dencer's several stories."

Police then arrested Dencer, Vernon said.

"So, it looks like Dencer took advantage of the situation, and drove her to a cheap motel, which he had visited before, and carried her into the room," Vernon said. "He slept the night in the room, and when she awoke, he let her leave, though he asked her to stay, according to the victim."

Officials with Uber said they were still investigating the circumstances of what had happened, but said "the driver in question was not logged in, connected to or operating on the (company's) platform at the time."

"We have reached out to authorities and will work with them to uncover the facts," according to Uber. "It is also our policy to immediately suspend a driver's account following any serious allegations, which we have done. Nothing is more important to Uber than the safety of our riders."

--City News Service