PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — A 17-year-old is in custody after allegedly attempting to kidnap and rape a food delivery driver on Saturday afternoon, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) said Monday.
PCSO deputies responded to a parking lot near the 13400 block of 107th Avenue Court East in South Hill on Saturday to meet the victim of an assault that occurred outside a nearby residence.
A 38-year-old food delivery driver told deputies she had just delivered an order to a residence on the street. As she was walking away from the front door after dropping off the food, Elijah Oliver-Jelani Eubanks opened the door and told her she had forgotten her tip. The woman turned and saw a $20 bill on the ground in front of the door.
As the woman returned to the front door to collect the tip, Eubanks grabbed her shirt and attempted to pull her into the house. Eubanks was wearing only a T-shirt, according to deputies, but the victim managed to escape and ran to her car. As she drove off, the woman told deputies she saw Eubanks grinning and masturbating at her.
After speaking with the victim, deputies drove to the residence and took Eubanks into custody. Eubanks was charged as an adult with attempted rape and attempted kidnapping.
Bail was set at $150,000.
"It is awful to think that somebody would try to do this to a stranger like that," said Pierce County Sheriff's Sgt. Darren Moss Jr. "If it is an accidental thing maybe they are charged as a juvenile, but when there is intention behind it like we see in this one and it is very dangerous to the public, these kids are more often than not going to be charged as adults."
Attempted rape in the first degree and attempted kidnapping in the first degree are both exclusive adult jurisdiction cases for defendants aged 16 and 17, according to state law.
In a statement about what happened in Pierce County, an Uber spokesperson said, "What this driver experienced is terrifying. As soon as this incident was reported to us, we banned the customer. We have been in touch with the driver, and have a dedicated team who is standing ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation.”
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