This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A former Utah State basketball player has been arrested in Escondido, Calif., on charges of sexually assaulting at least three women.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jeremy Vague assaulted women he picked while on the job as a ride-share driver. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of intent to commit sexual assault, sexual penetration by force, false imprisonment by violence or menace and indecent exposure. A resident of San Marcos, Calif., he is being held without bail.

Vague, 37, played two seasons at Utah State after transferring from Canada (Calif.) Junior College. In 2000-01, he averaged 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds. In 2001-02, he averaged 8.6 points and 5.6 rebounds and helped the Aggies finish with a 23-8 record. They won the regular-season Big West Conference championship.

On Utah State's athletic website, Vague is listed a 6-foot-9, 245-pound former center-forward.

Escondido police said Vague has been working for Uber for three months and Lyft for nine months. Spokeswomen for both companies said Vague has been removed from their ride-sharing driver lists.

Last week, according to the Union-Tribune, an 18-year-old female student on the Palomar College campus requested a ride to her residence in Escondido from Uber. The driver picked her up in his blue mini-van, Escondido police Lt. Justin Murphy said at a news briefing.

"Instead of taking her directly to her residence, Vague intentionally turned off the Uber app, diverted his route and drove the victim to an alternate location, where he sexually assaulted her," Murphy said.

When the driver went off course, the victim knew something was wrong and texted friends, Murphy said. Vague was arrested later that day.

Vague had been a basketball coach with the girls' team at Calvin Christian High School, Murphy said. The superintendent of Calvin Christian High School, Terry Kok, said Vague coached the girls' team for five years "but is not currently coaching or acting in any other capacity at Calvin Christian School."

- Steve Luhm