, Fla. — Osceola County deputies are searching for a man wanted for questioning after a woman jumped out of a moving vehicle, fearing for her safety, in a case of battery and possible false imprisonment.
The incident occurred around 4 a.m. on Saturday when the 54-year-old woman entered a silver SUV, mistakenly believing it was part of a ride share program. The driver allegedly made inappropriate sexual comments and refused to let her out, prompting her to leap from the vehicle near Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway and Cross Prairie Parkway.
“She was upset. She had road rash from leaving the vehicle in a panic,” said Capt. Kim Montes, describing the woman’s condition after the incident.
“The driver made sexual comments to her and made her feel uncomfortable,” Montes added.
Osceola resident Luz Gonzalez expressed concern, saying, “It does scare me. I have family who take Ubers to work and not knowing what could happen to them is scary.”
Investigators have noted that there is no evidence to suggest the driver portrayed himself as part of a ride share company, as surveillance footage showed no ride share signage on the SUV.
Authorities have reached out to Uber to determine if any of their drivers were in the area at the time, but are still awaiting a response.
Capt. Montes advised the public to verify the identity of drivers through ride share apps before entering a vehicle, emphasizing the importance of safety.
The driver is described as Hispanic, approximately 5′11″, in his early to mid-thirties, and was wearing a black shirt over a white undershirt at the time of the incident.
Deputies are urging anyone with information about the driver to contact the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office or call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
