CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte Uber driver charged with the rape of a passenger in Matthews last year was scheduled to face a judge Tuesday afternoon.
WCNC Charlotte is working to get more information about his appearance in court.
Vicente Diaz-Gomez was charged with second-degree rape for an alleged assault on Oct. 15, 2022. The victim told officers she was riding home when Diaz-Gomez assaulted her. Diaz-Gomez, who lives in Charlotte, was arrested later that day and released on Oct. 16, according to Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office records.
Uber immediately removed Diaz-Gomez from its database following the incident, according to Matthews police.
Authorities aren't saying there are more victims, but due to the public-facing nature of Diaz-Gomez's job, WCNC Charlotte felt it was necessary to share the mugshot in case someone would recognize him from any other incidents that went unreported.
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![](https://media.wcnc.com/assets/WCNC/images/c3183fa4-4a7e-4446-8a78-58569d7aba6b/c3183fa4-4a7e-4446-8a78-58569d7aba6b_1140x641.jpg)
Over the past couple of years, Uber has added several safety measures to the app including a 911 emergency button, GPS tracking, trusted contacts so people can share their ride with close family and friends, and a live-help option to connect with a safety agent who people can stay on the phone with during their entire ride.
With the help of these changes, there has been a reported 38% decrease in the rate of sexual assaults reported on the Uber app between 2017 and 2020.
Note: WCNC instituted a new policy in March 2021 regarding the broadcast or posting of mugshots.
WCNC will only air or post a mugshot if the person has been formally charged with a crime and in a few other cases. The exceptions include: If it appears the person could be a danger to themselves or others or if they are wanted by authorities; to differentiate between people with a common name; if the photos could encourage more victims to come forward. The news-editorial leadership may also decide to use a mugshot based on the severity of the crime(s) committed and/or the level of public interest in the crime and ensuing criminal proceedings.