SUNNYVALE — Two men were arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman in a taxi that one of them drove, police said.
Around 6 p.m. Sunday, Sunnyvale police responded to Wolfe and Kifer Roads for calls that a female passenger was being forcibly removed from a taxi cab, police said. The taxi, an orange Checker Cab, fled the scene after the woman was toppled from the car.
An off-duty Sunnyvale officer who was nearby followed the cab until Sunnyvale officers pulled the driver over in Santa Clara city limits, police added.
Two Santa Clara men inside the car, driver and taxi operator, Navjot Singh, 29, and his roommate, 30-year old Gurminder Sekhon, were detained. Police said they were later arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting the woman.
According to police, earlier in the day the unidentified woman requested taxi service because she had been drinking. Singh had picked her up at El Monte Road and Interstate 280. The victim and Singh then consensually decided to purchase alcohol and drink in the taxi.
After consuming more alcohol, the woman lost consciousness, police said. When the woman woke up, she was being sexually assaulted by Sekhon, police said. She and Sekhon began to physically fight in the taxi, which several witnesses saw.
Police said investigators suspect Singh sexually assaulted the woman as well and had picked up Sekhon at some point while the victim was unconscious.
Sekhon and Singh were booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of rape and kidnapping.
Anyone with information on the incident can contact Detective Liz Nguyen at 408-730-7120.
Contact Katie Nelson at 408-920-5006 and follow her at Twitter.com/katienelson210.
