Bay Area Uber driver arrested on suspicion of groping and stalking female passenger

An Uber driver was arrested during the weekend after police said he kissed and groped a female passenger, then later returned to her Bay Area home and told her he was outside.

Pedro Liborio-Anorve, 35, of Redwood City was taken into custody on suspicion of sexual battery and stalking following Sunday’s assault, said Lt. Zach Perron, spokesman for the Palo Alto Police Department.

The assault occurred just after 11 p.m. when the woman and her husband had been dropped off by Liborio-Anorve at their Palo Alto home, police said.

The woman realized she had left her home cellphone in the driver’s car and called him to return it. After he arrived, she went outside to retrieve her phone.

That’s when Liborio-Anorve kissed her and grabbed her breast, Perron said. The woman pushed him away and ran to her home, where she and her husband reported the assault to Uber.

About an hour later, Liborio-Anorve called the woman and told her he was outside her home, the lieutenant said.

“She told him to go away and immediately called the police,” Perron said.

Police arrived at her home, but Liborio-Anorve was not there.

Officers later found Liborio-Anorve at his home and arrested him.

Liborio-Anorve no longer has access to Uber’s smartphone app, said Tracey Breeden, spokeswoman for the ride-sharing company.

“The behavior described is disturbing and is not tolerated on the Uber platform,” she said. “We have been working in cooperation with police and will continue to assist with the investigation.”

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

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