New court records have shed light on a disturbing incident involving an Uber driver who was sexually assaulted at gunpoint by a passenger in Norfolk. The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Johnathan Batey, faces a total of 19 felony charges, including abduction, rape, and carjacking, in connection with the assault.
According to the investigation conducted by 10 On Your Side’s team, Batey ordered an Uber from the Azalea Garden Apartments complex around 4:30 a.m. on March 31. Once inside the vehicle, he allegedly brandished a handgun, threatening the Uber driver’s life, and directed her to drive to multiple locations in Norfolk.
During the course of the journey, Batey allegedly forced the woman to undress and sexually assaulted her. The terrifying ordeal continued when he instructed her to park in a neighborhood on the 800 block of Jerrylee Drive, where he reportedly continued the assault while holding her at gunpoint.
Subsequently, Batey coerced the Uber driver into driving to an ATM located on the 1800 block of E. Little Creek Road. Sensing an opportunity to escape, the resourceful victim deliberately parked the car at a distance from the ATM, making it impossible to reach through the car window. Taking advantage of a malfunction caused by attempting to withdraw an amount of money she knew the machine wouldn’t accept, she swiftly grabbed her phone from the vehicle and fled, court records reveal.
As the Uber driver made her escape, Batey allegedly fired shots at her before making his getaway in her car. However, his freedom was short-lived as he was apprehended by the Norfolk Police Department on April 6.
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