A cab driver in Brooklyn was arrested for allegedly raping a minor inside his car on Monday, police said. According to authorities, the minor helplessly tried to escape but was overpowered by the cab driver, who then raped her repeatedly on the side of a street. The driver was later tracked down through his employer and arrested.
This is the latest in a series of gun violence, rape and human trafficking that has rocked New York over the past few months. New York, which was rated among one of the safest cities in the United States until 2017, has seen a spike in crime rate that has doubled this year.
Spine Chilling
Rafael Martinez, 32, was arrested on Tuesday following a police complaint over the rape of the 12-year-old girl inside his car in a secluded street in Brooklyn. The victim boarded Martinez's cab from Fort Greene after visiting a relative's house around 6 pm and was getting back to her home in Bedford Stuyvesant.
Martinez, who is a livery cab driver, started the ride, which was roughly a four-mile drive, but in the middle of the trip he pulled over his car and jumped into the backseat and started raping the minor. The girl helplessly screamed but Martinez overpowered her and continued to rape her, cops said.
Later, he dropped the victim at her destination and quietly left. The girl was immediately transported to Woodhull Hospital by her family members and police were reported about the crime around 8.45 pm, following which they started a manhunt for Martinez.
Arrested and Charged
The victim is still in hospital and recovering. The NYPD has launched an investigation into the incident. It didn't take long for the police to track down Martinez. Given that he was a livery cab driver, police tracked him down through his Brooklyn-based employer Evelyn Car Services, sources said.
Martinez was immediately fired from his job. However, Evelyn Car Services is yet to respond on the incident. Martinez has been charged on multiple offences including rape, criminal sex act and sex abuse and further investigations are on. The news comes at a time when New York has been witnessing a surge in gun violence and sex crimes.
Once considered the safest city in the United States, crime rate has gone up drastically in New York City over the past few months, especially after the coronavirus outbreak. Authorities believe that the pandemic, which has seen massive job losses, has been one of the major reasons behind the spike in crime rate.
