Adnan Nafasat, former Uber driver, charged in attempted sex assault in Lakeview

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Adnan Nafasat, a former Uber driver, is accused of attacking a 21-year-old male passenger in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood last summer.

Nafasat, a 46-year-old father of three from west suburban Villa Park, was charged with attempted sex assault, unlawful restraint and kidnapping.

Police said the victim ordered a ride through the Uber app in Boystown in late July.

Nafasat allegedly picked up the 21-year-old male passenger on the 700-block of West Cornelia Avenue and told him to get in the front seat of the car because the back seat was broken.

Prosecutors said Nafasat then groped and choked the victim, exposed himself and tried to force the victim into a sex act. He apparently backed off after the passenger begged him to stop.

"Our thoughts are with the victim of this horrible incident. We immediately removed the driver from our platform upon learning of the allegations and have been assisting authorities with the investigation," Uber said in a statement.

It is not clear why it took prosecutors five and a half months to charge Nafasat.

This is the second case of alleged sex assault involving a former Uber driver in the last two months.

Maxime Fohounhedo, 30, was charged in December in the alleged sex assault of a 22-year-old female passenger. Police said Fohounhedo picked her up in Chicago's River North neighborhood in Novermber. He is accused of sexually assaulting the victim in the city's ALbany Park neighborhood. It took one month for charges to be filed against Fohounhedo.

People who use the popular rideshare app are becoming increasingly worried about their safety.

"It's pretty shocking, nerve-wracking. Definitely something I'll take to heart next time I get into Uber," Claire Silverstein said.

"I think I'm going to avoid using Uber and keep using the public transportation around here," Lucy Vernasco said.