A 31-year-old cabdriver accused of sexually assaulting a female passenger over the weekend was released on bond Tuesday from the Cook County Jail, authorities said.
Hicham Ichou, 31, had been ordered held on $200,000 bail Monday.
Ichou allegedly lured a 33-year-old woman into his cab early Sunday and drove her home, said Cook County Assistant State’s Atty. Jennifer Bagby.
He told the woman he needed to use the bathroom, and she allowed him inside, where he assaulted her, police said.
Ichou’s lawyer handed in the cabdriver’s expired passport Tuesday as a condition of his release. He is to appear in court again Aug. 14.
The alleged victim was walking on Clark Street in Andersonville when she came across a group of men who intimidated her, said Chicago Police Officer Marcel Bright.
“She was scared about this group of guys, late at night, coming toward her,” Bright said. “[Ichou] noticed this, and he offered her a ride, and she accepted.”
She told Ichou she didn’t have money to pay for a fare, police said. He told her that it wasn’t necessary, police said, and that he would help her out.
The woman reported the alleged assault and gave officers the car number shortly after the incident, police said.
Ichou had been an independent contractor for Flash Cab but left his job late last year after failing to make his lease payments, said Jack Nichols, a manager for the company.
Cabbie complaints
So far this year, there have been 43 complaints of physical assaults by cabdrivers, said Bill McCaffrey, spokesman for the city’s Department of Consumer Services, which regulates cab and limousine licensing. This number is on pace to break last year’s 53 reports.
