A tourist’s trip to Miami Beach took a terrifying turn when a man posing as an Uber driver allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted her. Now, 42-year-old Rafael Martinez is behind bars, charged with sexual battery on a physically helpless victim.
The incident began on the night of January 25th, 2024. The victim had been out at a bar with her friend, who left early using Uber. She stayed behind to finish her drink. When she finally went outside to order her own ride, a man approached her claiming to be an Uber driver. He offered her a lift and said he’d log her ride into the app later.
She accepted and got into his car. After asking for water, he handed her an open bottle of Vitamin Water from his console. She said she began feeling dizzy shortly after drinking it and eventually blacked out.
The next thing she remembered was waking up on a black couch inside an unfamiliar apartment. A man handed her a shot of tequila and helped her drink it. Her next memory was waking up naked on a bed in a dark, windowless room. She found her clothes, got dressed, and walked outside to call an Uber back to her Airbnb.
Her friend urged her to report the incident. Police launched an investigation, collecting DNA evidence, video footage, and toxicology results, which later confirmed the presence of alcohol, acetone, and THC in her system. A rape kit confirmed she had been assaulted.
Martinez was eventually identified and arrested. Though he was not using the Uber app during the incident, the company banned him from the platform. He is currently in custody at Miami-Dade Corrections awaiting trial.
