A Bucks County man is accused of assaulting a 17-year-old girl after she mistakenly got into his car believing it was a rideshare vehicle, according to Lansdale Borough Police. The incident happened in late April in Montgomery County. According to officials, the teen was waiting for a rideshare t hat she believed had been ordered by a friend when a man pulled up and told her he was her ride. The teen then got into the vehicle, investigators said. “The suspect stopped on the side of the road, spoke to the victim, had a conversation, and at some point he mentioned that it was her ride,” police said. Police identified the driver as 38-year-old Ryan Applegate. Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673. According to investigators, the distance between where the teen was picked up and where she was headed was short, but Applegate took different routes and made wrong turns along the way. “[The victim] stated he was touching her leg and her backside on top of her clothes,” the criminal complaint says. While they were in the car, police said Applegate told the teen she had “something special” about her. The victim also told police that the driver told her, “I’m not usually like this, but you have a grown man blushing.” Investigators said he held her hand, grabbed her thigh and attempted to kiss her. The suspect also asked the victim how old she was and she stated she was 17. The complaint then states that he replied: “Oh sweet. You turn 18 soon?” Police said the teen was eventually dropped off at her intended destination. Days later, investigators said, Applegate contacted her through Snapchat. According to the complaint, the victim said Applegate kept messaging her “trying to hang out, asking her to smoke marijuana and sending photos of marijuana.” Police stressed that Applegate was not working as a rideshare driver and they are not certain why he was in the area of Main Street that night. “The investigation is continuing. Are there more victims? We want them to call Lansdale police,” investigators said. “Could he have tried this before and got lucky she was looking for a rideshare and got in the car.” Authorities said the case should serve as a reminder for riders and parents to take safety precautions when using rideshare services. Police recommend verifying the driver’s name and license plate information through the rideshare app before entering a vehicle. They also advise against having others book rides on your behalf and say riders should avoid getting into a vehicle if they are unsure it is the correct one. Applegate was charged with indecent assault and unlawful restraint. NBC10 attempted to reach Applegate for comment but no lawyer was listed for him as of Wednesday. The suspect was released on bail but is expected to appear in court next week. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less