BuzzFeed News released excerpts from an NFL report on sexual assault allegations against Jameis Winston Friday afternoon.
The report alleges that last year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB groped a female Uber driver while he was intoxicated coming home from a party one night.
BuzzFeed reports that “Kate” the female Uber driver who only wants to be known by her first name, was driving around Scottsdale, Arizona when she picked up Winston. Before picking him up, she had been told he was famous by a group of men with him.
Buzzfeed reported the following about the interaction in the vehicles:
The men placed Winston in the front passenger seat — Kate said he was the only passenger. “I started driving, and right away, Jameis behaved poorly” by shouting, in part, homophobic slurs at pedestrians, said Kate, who did not want to be identified by her full name for fear of negative attention and potential backlash from football fans. He then asked to stop for food.
Waiting in line at the drive-thru of Los Betos Mexican Food, “he reached over and he just grabbed my crotch,” Kate said, alleging that Winston held his hand there for three to five seconds and removed it only after she looked up in shock and said, “What’s up with that?”
Kate explained that since she was considerably smaller than Winston, she “froze” and tried not to further provoke him.
Kate also has screenshots and Uber complaints to back herself up.
Buzzfeed News has obtained a letter from the NFL to a former Uber driver who says #Bucs star QB Jameis Winston groped her in March of last year.https://t.co/RDxLjqxUxy pic.twitter.com/2mNuSYQSaz
— Riley Auman (@junioraumanac) November 17, 2017
Responding to the allegations today, Winston’s lawyer released a statement. “We categorically deny this allegation. It is our understanding the uber driver was unable to identify the specific individual who allegedly touched this driver inappropriately. The only reason his name is being dragged in to this is that his uber account was used to call the ride,” he said.
Winston also released the following statement read:
A news organization has published a story about me regarding an alleged incident involving a female Uber driver from approximately two years ago. The story falsely accuses me of making inappropriate contact with this driver. I believe the driver was confused as to the number of passengers in the car and who was sitting next to her. 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. At the time of the alleged incident, I denied the allegations to Uber, yet they still decided to suspend my account.
I am supportive of the national movement to raise awareness and develop better responses to the concerns of parties who find themselves in these types of situations, but this accusation is false. While I am certain that I did not make any inappropriate contact, I don’t want to engage in a battle with the driver and I regret if my demeanor or presence made her uncomfortable in any way.
This isn’t Winston’s first time at the sexual misconduct allegations rodeo. In 2012, he was accused of raping a student while at Florida State University. He’s had other run ins with the law, including several shoplifting incidents and a suspension due to vulgar language at a party.
NFL special counsel Lisa Friel told BuzzFeed that the NFL has opened an investigation into the matter.