Police have arrested a 25-year-old man who, according to law enforcement, kidnapped and sexually assaulted an Uber driver in the southwest suburbs before driving to Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, authorities said.
Andrew Anania was apprehended in the 2300 block of South Central Park Avenue Sunday following an investigation by several law enforcement agencies including the suburban Major Case Assistance Team, the United States Marshals and the Chicago Police Department.
Anania requested an Uber driver on Wednesday, and after entering the driver's SUV, displayed a gun, police said. He then demanded the driver, a 29-year-old woman, head to alleys in Summit and Stickney, where he sexually assaulted her, authorities said.
Anania later demanded she drive him to the 3200 block of West 26th Street in Chicago and went through her purse before fleeing with an unknown amount of cash, police stated.
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Felony charges were pending Sunday with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.
Following the incident, the Independent Drivers Guild of Illinois called on rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft to take additional steps to improve driver safety.
