Rideshare Driver Accused of Sexual Assault on New Year’s Eve 2023 Detained Pending Trial
A rideshare driver accused of sexually assaulting a passenger on New Year’s Eve 2023 has been detained pending trial, according to a Cook County judge’s order.
Jose Alarcon Gonzales, 37, was working as a Lyft driver when he picked up a woman who had ordered a ride after leaving a bar early on December 31, 2023. Prosecutors allege that Gonzales took the woman off course, locked the rear windows and doors of the car, and proceeded to sexually assault her.
The woman, realizing they were off course, demanded Gonzales stop the car. However, she found herself trapped as she struggled to escape by kicking, pounding, and pulling at the locked doors. Gonzales then allegedly climbed into the back seat, pinned her down, and sexually assaulted her.
After a struggle, the woman was able to kick Gonzales and escape from the car. Chicago police detectives obtained Lyft records that confirmed the woman’s correct pickup and drop-off locations. Subsequent DNA testing allegedly found Gonzales’s DNA on the woman’s underwear.
Following these findings, Judge Susana Ortiz granted the detention petition, keeping Gonzales in custody pending trial.
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