Posted on 11/27/2014 4:43:32 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
A Fort Lauderdale Yellow Cab driver stood in front of a judge Wednesday for allegedly kidnapping and raping his client.
A 37-year-old woman visiting from Canada told Fort Lauderdale police on October 9th, at 12:30 a.m., she and a friend were picked up by a cab in the area of the 2400 block of E Sunrise Blvd.
Investigators said when the women were in the cab they stopped at an ATM to withdraw money because driver Max Raphael, 29, refused to accept a credit card.
When the friend stepped out at NE 3rd Ave. and NE 1st St., Raphael reportedly drove off with the victim in the car.
According to the complaint affidavit, the cabbie drove to a parking lot in the area of SE 3rd Ave. and SE 4th St., where he forcefully removed the woman from the vehicle and sexually battered her.
“He not only drags her forcefully out of the vehicle, when she attempts to get away from him, he throws her to the ground and that is when he sexually batters her,” said Detective DeAnna Greenlaw.
The woman immediately reported the incident to police and was taken to the Nancy J. Cotterman Sexual Assault Treatment Center for a medical evaluation.
On November 25th, detectives from the Special Victims Unit received a report from the Broward Sheriff’s Office DNA Laboratory. According to the report, the DNA collected positively identified Raphael.
Raphael was arrested on Tuesday and charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of sexual battery.
Raphael’s girlfriend, who was in court for his hearing Wednesday, is still stunned.
“Max is a good father. He would never do something like that. If somebody accused him of that, he would never do it, because I know him. He always gives me some good advice,” she said.
The victim’s attorney said the fact that his client was using a well-respected cab company makes this case even more shocking.
“This is unimaginable,” said Raphael’s attorney, Curt Obront. “I think, the last thing on anybody’s mind is that the driver that is working for that company is going to kidnap and rape them.”
In light of the arrest, John Camello, President of Yellow Cab, issued the following statement.
“Yellow Cab takes the public and its passengers’ safety seriously. Since the time we became aware of this matter we have full cooperated with the authorities in the investigation and will continue to do so.”
Anyone who may have information about this incident or similar incidents should contact Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477(TIPS).
rape is sexual battery ?
Or and illegal. But this doesnt matter anymore thier free
Evidently not.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Pic?
Sure it is. In statute we often create various degrees of sexual contact including that defined in common law rape.
Pic here:
http://www.wptv.com/news/state/max-raphael-fort-lauderdale-cab-driver-charged-with-raping-passenger
Let me guess .... another Amish rapist?
We need to know more about him...Was Raphael wearing a straw hat and carrying a rake?
Obama’s son. Max be caught big time. DNA, separate witness about him driving off.....gurlfren who he be the baby daddy “wouldn’t do nuttin like dat” notwithstanding.
The man is guilty, probably for more than one rape. BTW, RAPE is RAPE. To me calling it sexual ‘battery’ is a crime in and of itself.
Lock him away for life and let Obama come visit him on Sundays.
You got it. Maybe immigrant, too.
I have a good idea, if you want to do this. How about we stop pretending anyone of these thugs and criminals are Amish and start just saying the truth. They are black, this one is black.
” based on DNA samples they were able to identify Raphael as the driver.”
Girlfriend would say he be set up by the b——
What’s so odd about this is he had to know he was going to get caught from the very beginning! He left the friend behind. The victim and the friend would be able to identify him in a heartbeat. Strange.
Yes indeed, an Obama son .... Haitian branch. Since he was identified by DNA he likely has other arrests or convictions during which DNA was sampled.
There are likely other victims also. Props to the Canadian victim who reported the rape immediately so the DNA evidence was still extant.
What’s so odd about this is he had to know he was going to get caught from the very beginning!
“rape is sexual battery ?”
The legal term for it in Florida I think.
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