Halifax police seek taxi driver accused in 5th cab-related sex assault this year

Halifax police are looking into the city's fifth taxi driver-related sexual assault case this year, after a woman reported being touched by a cab driver last Friday.

On July 15, a woman got into an older model white four-door taxi on Lacewood Drive between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. 

At the destination on Sherwood Street, the woman was told by the cab driver he was having issues with the meter and it would take a few minutes to fix.

Police say while the woman was waiting to pay, the man tried to kiss her, locked her door and touched her in a sexual manner over her clothes.

The woman was able to get out of the cab and get to a friend's home.

Cab companies working with police

Police describe the suspect as a man in his mid to late 30s, around five feet seven inches tall, with short dark hair and a pronounced nose. The man spoke with an accent and was wearing strong cologne, police say.

Const. Dianne Woodworth says police are looking into the possibility this incident may be related to other incidents, and the department is working with cab companies to help identify suspects.

"[Cab companies] have been extremely helpful to us and are working with us, and we definitely are following up with some leads and hopefully at some point we're going to b able to pinpoint a suspect and hopefully make an arrest," she said.

'People are not standing for this'

Of the five reported incidents this year, only one investigation so far has led to charges.

According to Woodworth, the number of taxi driver-related sexual assaults is up this year — there were three reported incidents in 2015 and only one in 2014. Woodworth says she can't say if the higher number is the result of more overall incidents or more victims coming forward.

"We're just extremely glad that these women are coming forward because now it's out and people are talking about it and people are not standing for this," Woodworth said.

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Woodworth says in this particular incident the woman didn't get the taxi's number, but having that information would be helpful in helping police identify the suspect.

"When you get into a cab that's not something you usually think about obtaining, but unfortunately, I think maybe people are going to have to start doing that as part of the process," she said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 902-490-5016, or Crime Stoppers.