Evanston Man Accused Of Posing As Ride Share Driver, Sexually Assaulting Woman He Met On Dating App
EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) -- A man stood charged in Evanston Tuesday with sexually assaulting a woman after he allegedly met her through a dating app and posed as a ride share driver.
Jason Taylor, 28, was charged with criminal sexual assault on Sunday, Evanston police said.
Police said on Tuesday, July 30, Taylor made contact with the victim – a Chicago woman in her 20s – through an unspecified dating app. He then posed as a ride share driver, and when the victim got into his car, he sexually assaulted her, police said.
Northwestern University police also put out a notice about the incident on Tuesday. Evanston police said the suspect used Tinder to establish a false identity to meet the students and possibly commit sexual assault, Northwestern police said.
The two Northwestern students he contacted declined to meet, Northwestern police said. Investigators said the suspect then contacted and harassed the students through other electronic means.
Taylor is also suspected in other recent acts of sexual violence in the Evanston area that are not related to Northwestern or its students, and also in college communities in neighboring states, police said.
Taylor posted $100,000 bond after appearing in bond court in Skokie on Monday, police said.
The charges against Taylor are part of an ongoing and active investigation, police said.
Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call the Evanston Police Detective Bureau at (847) 866-5040, Northwestern University Police Department at (847) 491-3456. Those with information can also make anonymous reports at (866) 294-3545, or text CRIMES (274637) and enter EPDTIP when starting a message.