The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
When three women shared an Uber ride in mid-June, they reported that their driver threatened their lives and would not allow them to exit the vehicle.
On June 15, three women who had attended a book club gathering together ordered an Uber to share for their ride back home.
The women reported that after they got into the vehicle and gave their destination to the driver he got on the Interstate and would not speak to them. The women alleged that he was also driving in a way that made them uncomfortable and that he taunted them by acting as if he might hit the center divider.
The driver, suspected to be 36-year-old Mark Filanov, was reportedly behaving in a strange manner and told the women, “we’re all going to die now,” according to a report given by one of the alleged victims. The woman also said that when she tried to call for help Filanov prevented her from accessing her cellphone.
One of the women was in the seat located behind Filanov and she was able to notify 911. They were also able to use a built-in feature in the Uber application which automatically provides 911 with the personal information of a driver that has been reported when the alert is employed.
The women reported that the car exited the Interstate and had to stop at a red light leaving them the opportunity to get out and run to a nearby business, and Filanov allegedly drove away.
After an investigation into the event allegedly yielded enough evidence that the authorities believed Filanov was the suspect that the women had reported as their captor, a warrant for his arrest was obtained.
On August 17, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department booked Filanov into the Sacramento County Main Jail on suspicion of felony kidnapping charges. He is being held in lieu of $375,000 bail and he is scheduled to appear in court on September 9.
If you or someone you love is suspected of kidnapping, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.