A wingnut state senator from Oklahoma has been accused of
grabbing and kissing an Uber driver, according to a BuzzFeed News report
Wednesday.
The driver alleged that she picked up Bryce Marlatt
around 10 p.m. on June 26 to drop him off at a hotel in Oklahoma City.
The driver then claimed that Marlatt had grabbed her forcefully and
started kissing her neck while she was driving.
"She was giving this person a ride," said Oklahoma City Police Department Master Sergeant Gary Knight, according to
KFOR News. "He was in the back seat. And, he kept reaching around, grabbing her, kissing on her, things along those lines."
Two
days later, the driver reported the incident and said "she was unsure
what she needed to do," according to a police report obtained by
BuzzFeed that redacted the names of the driver and the alleged
assailant. Based on basic information, the driver was able to find a
picture of Marlatt online.
"The senator was shocked and surprised
at the allegations," said Robert Don Gifford, Marlatt's attorney. "He
was, he really wants to get to the bottom of this. He's asked us to
reach out to Uber, which we have. We're trying to get to the bottom of
this and figure out what's going on."
According to the police
report filed by the driver, Uber declined to provide her with
information about her passenger; however, Uber said it was releasing
information to law-enforcement officials.
"What's been reported is
not tolerated and has no place on the Uber app," Uber said in a
statement to BuzzFeed. "We are working with the Oklahoma City Police
Department and will provide any information to them that would be
helpful for their ongoing investigation."
Neither Oklahoma City police nor Marlatt's office were immediately available for comment on Wednesday night.
Marlatt
has represented Oklahoma as a state senator for nearly 10 years. In
2015, he pleaded no contest after law enforcement officials found him
asleep on the road in his running vehicle. Officers said they detected
alcohol when he rolled his windows down, according to
Fox 25 News.
Asked if he had been drinking, Marlatt reportedly said "no more than anyone else."
