A Lyft driver touched an Illinois teen, then masturbated in front of her during a ride to her friend’s house in Portage, charging documents allege.
Isaiah Muhammad, 51, of Olympia Fields, Illinois, and formerly Los Angeles, is not in custody. He is ordered held on a $65,000, or $6,500 cash surety bond.
He was charged Wednesday with attempted rape, a Level 3 felony; two counts of sexual battery and one count of performance before a minor that is harmful to minors, all Level 6 felonies; and one count of public indecency, a Class A Misdemeanor.
The victim told Lake Station cops that the driver — later identified as Muhammad — showed up in Illinois to pick her up around 1:30 p.m. on July 1, 2023. He had stuff in the back, and told her to ride in the front seat.
Muhammad said she was “beautiful” and had “nice legs,” the victim told police.
On Interstate 80/94, he touched her thigh. She was “uncomfortable” and started messaging her boyfriend. Then, Muhammad started masturbating in front of her, stopped, then kept driving, court records allege.
She told him to “put it away,” records show.
At Lake Station, he pulled off on Ripley Street to a city garage parking lot on the 3700 block of Fairview Ave. He took out his penis again and grabbed her arm to “fondle” him as he tried to kiss her. She told him no. He stuck his hands under her clothes and fondled her, still trying to kiss her, records show.
She got out and ran, while Muhammad drove after her.
At that point, her boyfriend and his friend showed up. They unsuccessfully tried to pull Muhammad out of the car. The friend punched Muhammad in the face, before he took off.
Both the victim and her boyfriend identified Muhammad in a photo lineup via a Lyft employee picture. The friend did not, charges state.
mcolias@post-trib.com
