Cabbie held in kidnapping

New Orleans — New Orleans police booked a 60-year-old cab driver with kidnapping on Tuesday after a woman told police the man raped her after she passed out in his cab.

Iqbal Pervez was booked with simple kidnapping in connection with the abduction of a 25-year-old woman on Saturday, and police are still trying to connect him to the woman’s rape.

Pervez is being held at the Orleans Parish Central Lockup on $100,000 bond.

Detective Sgt. Chris Robert said the victim was placed in a cab at about 3 a.m. on Saturday morning in the 600 block of Decatur Street by some friends, who instructed the cab driver to take her home. At some point during the ride the victim, who was intoxicated, passed out inside the vehicle, the detective said.

When she awoke, she was in an unknown location and the cab driver was sexually assaulting her, she told police. After the assault, the driver brought the woman to her home and left her there.

The woman contacted police, who were able to connect Pervez to the incident through a telephone number found in the victim’s phone.

Robert said the driver works for American Taxi Company, and he quickly was brought in for questioning. The driver gave a statement to police, but Robert would not say whether he admitted to rape.

The rape allegedly occurred at the driver’s Metairie apartment, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office may become involved in the case.

Police believe Pervez has been living in the metropolitan area for a year, but they are investigating whether he may have been involved in previous sexual assaults involving cab drivers and their passengers.

The victim identified him as her assailant through a photo lineup, Robert reported.