Driver sexually assaults woman after ride, Utah cops say. Other victims sought

A 35-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting a woman after giving her a ride may have other victims, Utah police reported.

The woman flagged someone down to report the attack at about 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 24, Salt Lake City police said in a June 25 news release.

The woman told officers she accepted a ride to the city from a man and that he sexually assaulted her twice, once in a parking lot in the city, police said.

Joshua Palacios was booked on charges of forcible sexual abuse and unlawful detention, police said.

Based on a preliminary investigation, detectives believe other women also may have been assaulted by Palacios, police said.

They ask anyone with information to call 801-799-3000.

“The Salt Lake City Police Department recognizes that sexual violence involving an unknown attacker can increase alarm within our community,” officers said in the release.

This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Driver sexually assaults woman after ride, Utah cops say. Other victims sought."