Uber driver accused of kidnapping, attempted rape speaks to ABC7 News

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- ABC7 News spoke to an Uber driver charged with the kidnapping and attempted rape of two female passengers. Gabrele Amare is at Santa Rita Jail.

Amare told ABC7 News ITeam Reporter Melanie Woodrow that he's been driving for Uber for about a month and that the onboarding procedure was in his words "normal." He said he became an Uber Driver because he likes driving.

Berkeley Police say Amare refused to let a woman out of his car and that she jumped out of the moving vehicle to escape.

Police also say Amare admitted he intended to use her for prostitution. During the jail interview, Amare said he didn't know anything about that.

"I dropped her off, she just got out."

Amare said he didn't know why two women told police he attempted to kidnap them.

Police say during a ride in Oakland two hours later, Amare released a second woman only after she threatened to break the window.

Uber has said it is deeply troubled by the allegations and that they removed Amare from the app.

Amare also told ABC7 News he was in a rental car. He said police thought he looked like someone else.

According to court documents both women identified Amare in photo line-ups and provided documentation from Uber that listed Amare's first name, his vehicle description and license plate number.