A 24-year-old woman was riding in a taxi Saturday when the driver locked the doors and grabbed her in an attempted sexual attack, police said.
Murasbek Elchiev, 27, was charged with three felonies including kidnapping and sexual abuse.
The passenger got in the cab right in the 300 block of West Ontario in busy River North about 2:35 a.m.
Once she got in, police say, the taxi driver made his move. This is the second incident of this nature in a week.
Police found Elchiev hours later in a parking lot at O'Hare where he was arrested.
"There's always back of the mind for women," taxi passenger Monisha Jayabal said. "But that's something not right. We should not feel that."
Jayabal said she was already aware of a similar incident last week in Lakeview.
Local
A 26-year-old woman tells police a taxi driver attacked her after she fell asleep in the back of his cab.
She was able to get away and 36-year-old Mustafa Dikbas was charged with attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, kidnapping and theft.
Police issued this message to taxi and rideshare operators Monday night:
"If you commit a crime against a passenger, you will get arrested and it will be our pleasure to give you a one way ride to Cook County Jail."
No serious injuries were reported by the women.
Elchiev is scheduled to be in bond court Tuesday morning.
