Man arrested, charged for allegedly sexually assaulting woman in her vehicle

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A man living in West Valley City has been arrested and charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in her car after forcing her to give him a ride.

Malcolm Galo, 20, has been charged with two counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, and one count of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.

According to documents, a woman reported to the West Valley City Police Department (WVCPD) that she had been sexually assaulted on July 7, 2025. The victim allegedly told police that she was getting into her car when Galo approached and asked for a ride.

The victim told police that she declined to give him a ride repeatedly, but he ignored her refusals and got into her car through the passenger door, locking it behind him. Galo allegedly demanded that the victim drive him to a gas station, and she agreed to drive him to the end of the street.

When the two reached the end of the street, Galo refused to get out of the car and demanded that the victim drive him to a parking lot. Out of fear, the victim drove him there, at which point he grabbed the gear shift and parked the vehicle. Galo allegedly asked the victim for a sexual favor, and she refused.

The victim told police that he then assaulted her, grabbing her clothes and touching her inappropriately. During the sexual assault, he applied pressure to her throat. The victim then tried to defend herself and stabbed Galo in his face and calves with her car keys.

Her attempt to defend herself caused Galo to loosen his grip, and the victim was able to scream for help. Galo fled the car after she began screaming, documents say. The victim stated that she was afraid for her life and believed that Galo was going to “rape and kill” her.

Police located Galo and observed that he had an injury to his face near his right eye. During an interview, he allegedly admitted that because the victim had “looked at him,” he believed that she wanted to “hang out” and “get to know each other better.” Galo also admitted to touching the victim, saying he “believed it was going to lead to sex.”

The victim told police that throughout her encounter with Galo, she had repeatedly told him “no” and to “get out of the car.” Galo was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail and is currently being held without bail.