John Jefferson
Background: Villanova University (YouTube). Inset: Mirvan Dinler (Delaware County (Penn.) District Attorney’s Office).
Police in Pennsylvania have arrested an Uber driver who allegedly followed a college student into her on-campus dorm room and raped her after bringing her home.
Mirvan Dinler, 26, was arrested on Friday, Philadelphia ABC affiliate WPVI reported. The assault allegedly occurred the night of Sept. 13, according to the station.
The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was reportedly out with friends in Philadelphia for a birthday party that night. She apparently started feeling ill during a ride to a nightclub, so she decided to go home. Her friends reportedly waited with her until her Uber arrived to take her back to her dorm.
The driver of that Uber was Dinler, police say. He allegedly picked her up at around 10:19 p.m. and arrived at the university almost an hour later, at 11:08 p.m., according to the WPVI report.
He then is said to have followed her into her dorm room after her dropping her off. He allegedly raped her and forced her to perform oral sex, police say.
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Dinler left, but then allegedly came back and demanded that the victim give him money for what he said was a mess in his car. She allegedly handed him her phone, which Dinler purportedly used to send $150 via Venmo. He finally left after that, WPVI says.
The student reported the alleged attack to university officials the following week. A spokesperson for Villanova reportedly said that the driver had been banned from Villanova property during the pendency of the investigation.
Court records show that Dinler is charged with rape, indecent assault, and reckless endangerment. Several of the charges are enhanced because the victim, having had multiple drinks that night, is deemed a “substantially impaired person.”
Uber said in a statement that Dinler is no longer with the ride-share service.
“Sexual assault is a devastating crime that has no place in our society, Uber said in a statement, according to CBS News Philadelphia. “We are appalled by what’s been described, and banned the driver as soon as this was reported to us. We will assist law enforcement however we can.”
Court records indicate Dinler was unable to post bail and is currently being held that the Delaware County Prison. He has a hearing scheduled for Oct. 17.
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