Taxi driver arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting passenger
PETALUMA, Calif. - Petaluma police arrested a taxi driver suspected of raping a passenger in the back of his cab Tuesday night.
Officers responded to Bodega Avenue after an 11:41 p.m. report of a sexual assault, according to a news release Wednesday from the Petaluma Police Department.
The victim reported calling J's Taxi for a ride from downtown to a westside residence, police said.
The driver, 41-year-old Noel Ortiz Cortez, of Petaluma, drove the passenger to the requested destination and then entered the back of the cab through a side door before the person could exit the cab and then assaulted the person, police said.
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Officers and detectives from the Petaluma Police Department Investigations Team canvassed the area and located video evidence corroborating the victim's account and recovered forensic evidence from Cortez and the taxicab.
Police arrested Cortez on suspicion of rape and he was booked into Sonoma County Jail.
Police urge anyone who has further information relevant to this investigation to please contact Detective Ronald Flores at Rflores@cityofpetaluma.org or by phone at (707) 778-4450.