Following allegations that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old Publix employee in his car outside the grocery store, a Miami Instacart driver is now being prosecuted.
According to the arrest record, Victor Manuel Fernandez, 36, was taken into custody and lodged into Miami-Dade jail on Wednesday. He was charged with sexual battery, lewd and lascivious molestation on a kid between the ages of 12 and 16, and lewd and lascivious conduct on a child under the age of 16.
On November 4, the claimed incident took place outside the shop located at 14630 Southwest 26th Street.
The teenager indicated in the report that she got into Fernandez’s car after her shift at the store finished. Fernandez is an Instacart driver at that location.
The teenager said that during their informal talk, Fernandez began kissing her without asking permission.
According to the allegation, that’s when Fernandez moved his car to a different part of the parking lot and sexually assaulted the teenager without telling anyone.
During his interrogation by detectives, Fernandez stated that the teenager had asked him to relocate the car to a different part of the parking lot and had freely got inside.
Fernandez allegedly made another remark, but it was withheld from the report.
Fernandez’s lawyer requested the judge to set a bond at his court appearance on Wednesday, arguing that his client has no prior criminal history.
Fernandez received a public defender appointment, a bail order, and instructions to avoid contact with the victim.
An Instacart representative issued a statement saying that, “We are appalled by this act of violence, and our hearts are with the survivor during this difficult time. This shopper has been suspended from our platform, and we will fully cooperate with law enforcement on their investigation.”Â
A Publix representative claimed in a different statement that they don’t comment on ongoing investigations.
