COLUMBUS – Police are warning residents to be wary of people posing as ridesharing service drivers after a woman escaped from an attacker near the OSU campus early Sunday.
The unidentified woman, who was not a student or a member of the university’s faculty or staff, was walking west on Chittenden Avenue toward High Street at approximately 3:00 a.m. Sunday when she was approached by a vehicle with its hazard lights on, according to a neighborhood safety notice posted by the OSU Police Department.
Ridesharing safety tips
Track the vehicle’s location on the app
Make sure the driver says your name
Check the license plate or placard
Don’t ride alone
Tell a friend your plans
-Source: Ohio State University Police Dept.
Since she had been waiting for a rideshare, she approached the vehicle to see if it was her driver and the man behind the wheel assured her he was, police said.
She got into the vehicle and the suspect drove in the direction of her home but stopped at stopped at W. 9th Avenue and Worthington Street where police say he made unwanted physical advances.
The woman hit him multiple times and got away.
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to call the Columbus Division of Police at 614-645-4545.