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SCOTTSDALE, AZ (KTVK) — A Scottsdale Uber driver reportedly is filing a lawsuit against an NFL quarterback who she says groped her while she was driving him in March 2016.
A complaint against Jameis Winston was filed in court Tuesday.
“This lawsuit arises from the entitled actions of a professional football player who felt permitted to sexually assault his Uber driver following a night of unruly behavior,” reads the complaint
The NFL investigated and then suspended Winston, who plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“After his suspension was announced, Defendant Winston issued a hollow apology for putting Plaintiff in a bad ‘position,’” according to the complaint.
The plaintiff has not revealed her name publicly – she’s referred to in the complaint by a pseudonym – although her “full name has been disclosed” to Winston.
“She is unimpressed by his continued lack of honesty or insight into his behavior,” the woman’s lawyer, John Clune, told Arizona’s Family. “He needs to learn from this and have some genuine insight or pay the penalty. She may be just a speed bump to him in his career, but she is not going to be a small one.”
Uber said in November 2017, when the story came out, that Winston had been banned from its app.
“The behavior the driver reported is disturbing and wrong,” according to the statement Uber released at the time. “The rider was permanently removed from the app shortly after we learned of the incident.”
Winston issued a statement via Twitter, calling the allegation against him false.
“The accusation is false, and given the nature of the allegation and increased awareness and consideration of these types of matters, I am addressing this false report immediately,” according to that statement. “At the time of the alleged incident, I denied the allegations to Uber, yet they still decided to suspend my account.”
Winston also said in that statement that he did not want to “engage in battle” with the woman and “I regret if my demeanor or presence made her uncomfortable in any way.”
The Scottsdale Police Department said the alleged victim – now plaintiff – did not file a police report.
“Plaintiff brings this action as much to underscore to Defendant the seriousness of his behavior as to receive compensation for damages,” reads the complaint.
The court documents say because of the #MeToo movement, which was in full swing with almost daily headlines, the plaintiff “became motivated to overcome her fear of reprisal ….”
She then contacted Buzzfeed.com, which “had run similar #MeToo stories around the same time.”
The eight-page complaint ends with a demand for a jury trial.
At this point, Winston has not commented on the filing.
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