Cabbie Charged With Sexually Abusing Passenger

An Evanston man was charged Sunday after he allegedly picked up a woman in his cab Friday night, drove her to a secluded area and sexually abused her.

Fred Batrony, 55, of the 1400 block of Chicago Avenue in Evanston, was charged with aggravated kidnapping and criminal sexual abuse, according to a police News Affairs release.

About 11:30 p.m. Friday, Batrony allegedly picked up a 24-year-old woman hailing a cab near North Clark Street and West Fullerton Avenue, the release said.

The woman asked him to take her to Clark Street and West Diversey Parkway, but instead he took her to a secluded area where he sexually abused her in the back of his cab while she attempted to fight him off.

Following the assault, Batrony allegedly dropped the woman off near Diversey and Clark and drove off. She walked a short distance before calling a friend and police, the release said.

Belmont Area detectives worked with the victim to get information about the attacker and his vehicle, and she recalled markings on the taxi that allowed them to trace it back to a cab company, the release said.

The investigation revealed that Batrony was driving the cab that night, and police interviewed him before placing him under arrest Saturday.

Court information for Batrony was not immediately available.