St. Catharines ride-share driver sexually assaulted by customer in local cemetery

A ride-share driver was sexually assaulted by an unidentified customer in a St. Catharines cemetery this morning.

Sometime between 8:30 and 9:30 on July 4 the woman was driving a customer to an unspecified cemetery in her white Nissan Altima.

The customer was armed and proceeded to sexually assault the driver. He inflicted minor physical injuries on the driver, who was later treated in hospital.

Niagara Regional Police with 1 Division, which oversees St. Catharines and Thorold, later responded to the call. Ultimately detectives with the NRPS Sexual Assault Unit were assigned to investigate.

They describe the suspect as a white man, about 34-years-old, with short brown hair and tattoos on his forearms. He was wearing a red shirt, dark pants and carrying a read backpack.

Investigators are working to identify the man and which cemetary the attack took place in. They believe there may have been a witness to the assault as a white man walking a black dog was seen nearby at the time.

Police say the victim and the suspect were not know to each other prior to the attack.

Anyone with information pertinent to the investigation can call he NRPS detectives at 905-688-4111, #3, ext. 1009363. Anonymous information can be sent to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

People who live or own a business near a local cemetery are asked to review their security, doorbell of dashboard cameras for suspicious activity or a white Altima and forward the footage to police.