U.S. Navy Lieutenant Indicted in Alleged Christmas Morning Sexual Assault While Driving for Uber in Glen Burnie

A Lieutenant with the United States Navy has been indicted in connection with an alleged sexual assault that reportedly occurred on  Christmas morning while he was working as an Uber driver in Glen Burnie.

On December 25, 2025, officers responded to the area of Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard and Phyllis Drive after a woman reported she had been raped by an Uber driver during a ride to her boyfriend’s home, according to documents obtained by Report Annapolis News. The suspect had reportedly left the scene prior to officers’ arrival.

According to the documents, the Uber driver picked the woman up at approximately 5:28 a.m. About 20 minutes later, the woman’s boyfriend was alerted that the ride had stopped on Kempton Road near his home and went to look for her. The documents allege the boyfriend located the vehicle and found the woman being sexually assaulted by the Uber driver in the backseat. He then began “banging on the window, demanding and yelling for the male to get off of her.” Police say the driver then moved to the driver’s seat and began driving away with the woman still in the backseat, prompting the boyfriend to “jump on the hood of the car.”

The driver allegedly continued driving with the boyfriend on the hood before stopping at Baltimore Annapolis Boulevard and Phyllis Drive. According to the documents, the driver yelled, “Stop, this will ruin my life,” as a struggle ensued with the boyfriend before the woman was pushed out of the vehicle and the driver fled the area toward Mountain Road. First responders arrived and transported the woman to an area hospital.

Through investigative means, the driver, who remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, was identified as 38-year-old Elijah Cox of Odenton. Mr. Cox was subsequently arrested and charged with rape, kidnapping, and related offenses. Court records show he was indicted on January 23, 2026, and is being held without bond at the Jennifer Road Detention Center.

In a statement to Report Annapolis News, an Uber spokesperson said, “The reported actions by this driver are sickening. Uber takes the safety of our community seriously, and we banned the driver from the app as soon as we were made aware of this. We are supporting law enforcement with their investigation.” The spokesperson declined to provide details regarding the man’s tenure with the rideshare company, citing privacy reasons.

“When we receive a report of an assault, we make it easy for survivors to get the support they need,” the statement continued. “Our trained safety team is available 24/7, with 10 ways to report an issue. We’ve partnered with RAINN to launch a dedicated survivor hotline and fund, offering trauma-informed care and access to resources that support healing.”

Uber did not respond to inquiries regarding how many sexual assaults involving riders have recently been reported to the company.

A U.S. Navy spokesperson confirmed that Lt. Elijah J. Cox is currently assigned to Naval District Washington. "The Navy is aware of LT Cox’s legal matters. That is all I can say at this time."