A Cuban driver for the transportation app Empower was arrested in Hialeah, accused of forcibly kissing and inappropriately touching a 17-year-old passenger during a ride, according to reports from local media in Miami.
The detainee, Vicente Fermín Rodríguez Hernández, 45 years old, was taken into custody on Thursday at a residence in Hialeah and faces a charge of lewd or lascivious conduct against a minor, classified as a felony under Florida law.
According to the arrest report from the Hialeah Police, cited by WSVN 7News and Telemundo 51, on Wednesday afternoon the teenager requested a ride through Empower after an appointment.
From the beginning of the journey, Rodríguez Hernández called her "beautiful" in Spanish, told her that he owned a business and needed employees, and suggested going out that very night to discuss work. He asked her if she was single or married, without inquiring about her age at any point.
The driver veered the vehicle towards a nearby park close to the Bonterra condominium, the young woman's final destination, parked, and asked her to sit beside him in the back seat.
"When the victim leaned in for a courtesy hug, [Rodríguez Hernández] grabbed her with both arms, turned her face, and forcibly kissed her on the mouth without her consent," the police report states, according to Univision Miami.
The victim's resistance and the subsequent messages
Despite the fact that the teenager repeatedly said "no, no, no" and physically pushed his hand away, the accused touched her genitals over her clothing three to four times and attempted on two occasions to put his hand inside her pants.
The young woman reported to the police that she stayed inside the vehicle for approximately 30 minutes until the driver finally took her to her residence, where he forcibly kissed her for the second time before she got out.
Rodríguez Hernández took the teenager's phone, entered his contact information, and made a call to his own device to capture her number. He then sent her messages saying that he "liked her kisses" and asking to meet again to talk about work.
"The victim responded that she was single and not looking for a relationship, but she was open to talking about employment. [Rodríguez Hernández] replied asking to meet to discuss the job, after which the victim ceased all communication," the police report states.
The arrest and the court hearing
The police identified the suspect through information from the Empower app and the phone number he provided to the victim.
His registered address is in Downey, California, although he had provided an address in Hialeah to a dealership when purchasing the Hyundai Santa Fe he used for the service. When stopped, he invoked his right to remain silent.
During the court hearing, a judge determined probable cause, set bail at $5,000, and mentioned possible criminal history in California. At the close of the reports, he remained incarcerated at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK).
A concerning trend in the Miami area
This case adds to a series of arrests of Cuban ride-sharing drivers in the Miami metropolitan area during 2026.
Just two days earlier, Joe Luis Suárez Pozo, a 51-year-old Cuban Uber driver, was arrested in Hialeah for sexually assaulting a 63-year-old woman, with a bail set at $7,500.
In June, Yusel Keoma Pérez Leyva, a 42-year-old Cuban and Uber driver, was arrested in Doral on charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a passenger; a judge denied bail and the Department of Homeland Security issued an immigration detention order from ICE.
Under Florida law, the charge of lewd or indecent touching of a minor is a third-degree felony that may result in up to five years in prison.
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