Investigators say the August ride veered off route to a secluded lot before the passenger awoke and sought help.
RICHMOND, Ky. — A Richmond Uber driver, identified by police as 61-year-old Clifford Partin, was arrested and charged with first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy after a woman told investigators she lost consciousness during an August ride from a party and was assaulted while unable to consent.
The case moved ahead this week after detectives filed a sworn complaint in Madison County. The filing outlines location records from the ride-hailing trip and surveillance video that police say align with the woman’s account, including a stop in a lot screened from view. Partin was taken to the Madison County Detention Center and held on a $100,000 bond as prosecutors review evidence for potential grand jury presentation. The woman, whose name is being withheld, reported the incident shortly after it occurred and later completed a medical exam, according to the investigative summary.
Police said the woman left a gathering on High Street and requested a ride because she had been drinking. Shortly after the trip began she lost consciousness. Detectives say trip data show the driver detoured from the direct route, parked for about 25 minutes in a lot bordered by bushes, and then resumed driving. The woman said she woke up in the vehicle, realized what had happened and demanded to be taken toward her neighborhood. Out of fear, she asked to be dropped a short distance away and ran home, investigators wrote. She contacted police and provided details that officers later compared with digital records.
In interviews with detectives, Partin agreed to a polygraph session and, according to the complaint, acknowledged having intercourse while the passenger could not give consent. Police noted that while polygraph results are limited in court, they included the alleged admission as part of probable cause. Surveillance video from a nearby business captured a sedan consistent with the Uber vehicle pulling in and remaining in the lot during the time frame flagged by GPS logs, investigators said. Officers canvassed the surrounding blocks for additional cameras and found none with a clear view inside the car.
The charges—first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy—carry significant penalties in Kentucky when the victim is considered incapable of consenting because of intoxication or unconsciousness. The complaint does not list the exact night in August, and officials declined to release the precise address of the parking area, citing the open investigation and the victim’s privacy. It wasn’t immediately known if Partin has retained an attorney or entered a plea. Uber did not have a comment available on Monday; the company’s community guidelines prohibit any sexual contact between drivers and riders and allow for permanent removal from the platform following violations.
High Street, where the ride began, sits near student housing and older homes west of downtown, with several small lots tucked behind storefronts and offices. A resident who lives nearby told officers they noticed a vehicle idling behind bushes late one evening near the end of summer but did not see people outside the car. Another neighbor said they often see ride-hailing pick-ups on weekends when parties break up. “People use it to get home safely,” the neighbor said. “When you hear something like this, it shakes that trust.” Police said they are seeking any additional video from businesses open late that night.
Partin’s first appearance is expected to be scheduled after prosecutors confer with investigators on additional lab and digital reports. If the case is presented to a grand jury, an indictment decision could come later this month. Until then, the complaint and booking records remain the most detailed public documents. Officials said they plan to provide updates once a court date is set or if charges are amended. The woman is receiving support services through victim advocates in Madison County, police said.
Author note: Last updated December 8, 2025.