- Alex Bagdat Outsen, 31, was arrested for alleged inappropriate behavior with a passenger.
- Outsen, a police academy graduate, is accused of forcible sexual abuse on Feb. 1.
- A second woman reported similar behavior in September, police say.
SOUTH SALT LAKE — A rideshare driver who investigators say is also a graduate of the state organization that gives certification to all police officers in Utah has been arrested and accused of sexually abusing a passenger.
Alex Bagdat Outsen, 31, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Wednesday for investigation of forcible sexual abuse.
On Feb. 1, a woman ordered a Lyft at about 12:45 a.m. from a downtown Salt Lake bar to her home in South Salt Lake.
"The victim reports that while en route, the driver started making inappropriate comments to the victim that he was single and started asking if she was single," a police booking affidavit states.
When Outsen arrived at the woman's home to drop her off, he asked for her phone number. After entering her number in his phone, Outsen "then took both of the victim's hands with his hands" and forced her to touch him over his clothing.
"The victim reports never having anything like that happen before and being very upset by what the driver did. She described it as 'gross' and 'nasty,'" according to the affidavit.
Detectives confirmed Outsen is registered with Lyft and is the registered owner of the vehicle.
"The phone number Alex Outsen reached out to the victim with after the ride … is the same phone number Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training has on file for Alex Outsen in his records as a police academy graduate," the affidavit states. All officers in Utah must be certified by the agency to become police officers.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety says at the time of Outsen's arrest, he was still certified by the agency.
"Our records indicate he is employed with the Provo City Constable's Office," said spokeswoman Stephanie Dinsmore.
The constable's office is a private entity and not a government office. The constables have limited law enforcement duties, such as transporting inmates to court and serving legal documents.
During their investigation, detectives learned of a second woman who claimed Outsen was also inappropriate with her when he was her Lyft driver in September.
"The second female's report did not include criminal activity but did include an attempt by Alex Outsen to reach behind his seat, trying to touch her, speaking with her about being single, and trying to get her phone number. The second female also became nervous of Alex Outsen during her Lyft ride. The second female reporting inappropriate behavior by Alex Outsen as a Lyft driver lends credibility to the first female's story," police wrote in the arrest report.
