KENTUCKY UBER DRIVER CHARGED WITH RAPE AND SODOMY AFTER PASSENGER REPORTED ASSAULT WHILE UNCONSCIOUS

RICHMOND, KY — December 3, 2025
Authorities in Kentucky have charged 61-year-old Clifford E. Partin with first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy after investigators say a woman reported regaining consciousness in a secluded parking area and told police she believed she had been sexually assaulted. According to information summarized in multiple outlets from a criminal complaint and arrest warrant, the incident began on August 30 after the woman left a gathering on High Street in Richmond. She reportedly ordered transportation because of her level of intoxication and sat in the front passenger seat before losing consciousness early in the ride.

When she later awoke, the vehicle was parked in a remote area of the Richmond Centre complex, and she told investigators she believed she had been assaulted while unconscious. She stated that she demanded to be taken home and exited the vehicle a short distance from her residence before running the rest of the way. After seeking medical care the next morning and receiving a sexual-assault examination, she reported the incident to RICHMOND POLICE.

WKYT reported that a spokesperson for RICHMOND POLICE said that investigators reviewed trip-recording data from the transportation company and found that the GPS information aligned with the woman’s report. The spokesperson also stated that surveillance video from businesses at Richmond Centre showed the driver’s vehicle parked in the secluded lot for a period of time consistent with what investigators documented.

According to details summarized in coverage of the arrest warrant, KENTUCKY STATE POLICE interviewed Partin during the investigation, and the warrant states that he admitted to sexual acts involving the victim. The specific charges filed in Madison County list first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy involving a victim described as physically helpless or incapable of consent. Partin was arrested on Monday and lodged at the MADISON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER on a cash bond.

We reviewed first-hand government sources for publicly released documents but did not locate a publicly posted press release or a viewable copy of the criminal complaint or arrest warrant at the time of publication. All case details in this report come from statements made by RICHMOND POLICE or from media outlets that report having reviewed those documents. These are charges, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

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Primary First-Hand Sources

• RICHMOND POLICE DEPARTMENT
• KENTUCKY STATE POLICE
• MADISON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER
• MADISON COUNTY COURTS

Secondary Attribution-Based Sources

• WKYT
• LEX18
• WDTV (Gray Television)
• K105