Police: Man Pretending To Be Taxi Driver Raped Woman In Patchogue
PATCHOGUE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Central Islip man is accused of luring a woman into his car and then raping her early Saturday morning.
Authorities said it was around 4 a.m. when 22-year-old Adil Raja drove up next to the 22-year-old female victim walking on the corner of Bay Avenue and Main Street in Patchogue.
Raja allegedly told the woman he was a taxi driver and offered her a ride.
But after the victim accepted the ride and told the suspect where to drive her, investigators said he took her somewhere else, displayed a BB gun and then sexually assaulted her in the back seat of the car.
Police said the victim called 911 after she got out of the car and Raja drove away.
Raja was later arrested after being pulled over on Sunrise Highway North Service Road in Patchogue and positively identified as the suspect, police said.
Raja is charged with rape. He is being held at the Fifth Precinct and is expected to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Sunday.
Police said the investigation into the incident is ongoing, and are urging anyone who may have been a victim to a similar crime to call the Fifth Squad at 631-854-8552.
