Bail Set High For Sex Abuse Cabbie

A cabbie from Evanston was held in lieu of $1 million bail Monday on charges he sexually abused a 24-year-old customer who fell asleep in the back of his cab.

Fred Batrony, 55, forced the victim to spit in his face and rub his nipples after driving her to a "forest type" area near a highway late Friday night, Cook County prosecutors said. Batrony then sexually attacked the victim and sucked on her toes and feet before asking her where she wanted to go, assistant state's attorney George Canellis said. He then took her to Clark and Diversey, the intersection she had asked him to drive to when he picked her up at Clark and Fullerton.

The out-of-town victim had been visiting the city with her sister and had become separated from a friend at Clark and Fullerton. She then called her friend on a cell phone asking where she should go to get to the friend's apartment, Canellis said.

Because she was unfamiliar with the area, the woman hailed a cab to take her to Clark and Diversey -- the spot where her friend told her to meet her at, Canellis said. The victim fell asleep in the cab and later awoke, finding Batrony in the back seat of the cab with her, Canellis said..

Batrony, a Port au Prince native, was arrested after the victim identified him and gave police his cab number, Canellis said.

Batrony has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and criminal sexual abuse.