Uber driver charged for alleged sexual assault during detour: Lethbridge police

Lethbridge police have charged a man after a woman reported being sexually assaulted by her Uber driver during a trip in November.

Police say the incident occurred in the early morning hours of Nov. 9, when a 20‑year‑old woman went to Chinook Regional Hospital and reported that she had been assaulted after getting a ride home through the Uber app.

According to investigators, the woman was picked up at a business on the south side of Lethbridge and driven to a downtown location, where the driver made a quick stop. She was then taken to a secluded area in a river valley, where the assault allegedly occurred, before being driven home.

During the investigation, police identified the driver and learned that the portion of the trip to the secluded area and to the victim’s home had not been recorded in the app.

When officers went to the suspect’s home to arrest him, they learned he had left the country. His vehicle was seized, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The suspect returned to Canada on Dec. 27 at Vancouver International Airport and was detained by Canada Border Services Agency agents. He was later transported back to Alberta.

Lethbridge resident Manvir Singh, 27, has been charged with sexual assault.

The accused was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in court this week.