DoorDash driver sexually assaults woman in apartment before she runs for help, cops say

A DoorDash driver is accused of sexually assaulting a customer as he brought food to her apartment, Missouri cops say.

St. Louis County Police said charges were issued Wednesday, Oct. 18, to 23-year-old Travaye Gaines.

Gaines, a delivery driver for DoorDash, forced his way into a woman’s apartment as he delivered an order, police said. He is accused of removing her towel and groping her.

Police said the customer escaped from Gaines and ran to a neighbor’s home for help.

Free from Gaines, the woman then received a FaceTime call from an unknown number, police said. When she answered, she saw Gaines masturbating.

Officers tracked down Gaines through communication with DoorDash and attempted to detain him, police said. He was put in handcuffs, but officers said he broke free and tried to escape in his vehicle.

Gaines, of Decatur, Illinois, was eventually detained and charged with burglary, attempted rape, sexual misconduct and resisting arrest, police said.

“We are horrified by this appalling and disturbing incident,” a DoorDash spokesperson said in a statement to KMOV. “This is something that no one should ever have to endure, and we are here to support this survivor however we can. Our team continues to cooperate fully with law enforcement and we hope the perpetrator is fully held accountable for this heinous behavior.”

Gaines is being held in the St. Louis County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond, police said.

This story was originally published October 20, 2023 at 7:35 AM with the headline "DoorDash driver sexually assaults woman in apartment before she runs for help, cops say."