Latest news with #rideshare
News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
‘I knew I wasn't going home': Woman explains nightmare experience as man charged with sexual assault
A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to nine months in jail after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting three women in Toowoomba over an eight-month period. Nasir Ilyas Kicho was sentenced in the Toowoomba District Court on May 16, having already spent 276 days in pre-sentence custody. The court heard the offending occurred between July 2023 and March 2024, and included three sexual assaults, one count of deprivation of liberty, and one count of common assault. Mr Kicho pleaded guilty to the charges and told the court he was 'so sorry'. The first offence involved a 16-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted in July 2023 after Kicho delivered her a DoorDash order. The court heard Mr Kicho groped her and forcibly kissed her despite her protests. He gave her $50 and told her he would return the next day before leaving after being interrupted by a housemate. He initially denied wrongdoing to police but later admitted to kissing her on the forehead. The second assault took place in March 2024 after Kicho met a 42-year-old woman at a brewery. He offered her a lift home, during which he groped her breast and touched her thighs. The third incident involved a young woman who was waiting for an Uber in Toowoomba's CBD. Kicho, posing as a rideshare driver, picked her up and drove in the wrong direction. He stopped at a bottle shop, kissed her, and locked the car doors. The court heard he later took her to his home, where she sent her location to friends before Mr Kicho took her phone. Police arrived soon after and found the woman near his car. One victim explained the nightmarish moment she realised she was in trouble. 'Within minutes, I knew I wasn't going home,' a woman identified as Jess told A Current Affair on Monday. She demanded Kicho be deported for his crimes. 'He needs to be used as an example to everybody else that we let into this country,' she said. 'I was definitely a different person before this happened. It can happen to anybody. Absolutely anybody. And it can keep happening. 'It wasn't a one off. He's done all this on purpose. He knew what he was doing.' In sentencing, Judge Craig Chowdhury described the offending as 'alarming' and said women should be able to get home safely. He acknowledged Mr Kicho had already served more time than would ordinarily be imposed and accepted his guilty plea entitled him to a reduced penalty. Prosecutor Peri Cardiff, said the Toowoomba community 'utterly denounced' the crimes and argued for an 18-month sentence. Ms Cardiff said Mr Kicho had deliberately targeted vulnerable women. Defence barrister Nathan Edridge asked the court to consider the consequences of a sentence exceeding 12 months under Australia's Migration Act, which allows for the deportation of non-citizens sentenced to a year or more in prison if they have not lived in Australia for more than a decade. Mr Edridge said Kicho had arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2022 after living in a Kurdish refugee camp for nearly a decade. He told the court Mr Kicho's wife and daughter remained in the camp, which housed about 10,000 people, and his extended family had been killed during conflict in their home village. Mr Edridge submitted that a nine-month sentence would be appropriate, factoring in the 276 days already served. Judge Chowdhury ultimately imposed a nine-month sentence, saying the time already served was equivalent to a two-year term under standard sentencing discounts. Mr Kicho will be released from custody unless the Department of Home Affairs decides to intervene and cancel his visa.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Everett rideshare driver recovers after brutal knife attack
A rideshare driver is recovering after a brutal knife attack in Everett. 'He never had a fear of actually getting stabbed or assaulted in any way shape or form,' said his son. 'He really wanted some pancakes that night and so he likes IHOP's pancakes.' Yuriy's son – who asked to remain anonymous – says his dad, after eating, was in the parking lot getting ready to pick up passengers at Paine Field nearby when someone came up from behind and grabbed him. 'First he thought it was just a friend that you know pulled up behind him and it was just giving him a bear hug, just trying to play a prank on him, and then he heard the guy say 'you're dead, you're dead, you're dead' and started slicing him,' said Yuriy's son. He says his father was cut multiple times in the neck and head. Yuriy tried fighting back — but was losing a lot of blood. Witnesses at the IHOP called 911. When police showed up, the attacker took off in Yuriy's SUV. Yuriy's son was asked if they had any idea what may have provoked this. 'Nobody knows,' he answered. Officers quickly tracked down and arrested the suspect near Costco in Lynnwood. After a few days in the hospital, Yuriy is still recovering. His son credits the police with saving his dad's life, adding, 'The first one on scene was the one that stayed with my dad and he was the one that saved his life, stopped the bleeding, and he was there at the hospital when I showed up and I got to shake his hand and say thank you.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Des Moines establishes rideshare pick up zone near Court Ave.
DES MOINES, Iowa — The City of Des Moines has rezoned a part of 3rd Street between Court Avenue and Vine Street to be a ride share pick-up and drop-off location. On Friday and Saturdays from 10 p.m. – 3 a.m. ride share apps will direct passengers to be picked up from the ride share zone. Des Moines car show featuring lowriders to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital Renae Mauk, the Vice President of Downtown Development at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, said that the ride share zone will make court avenue safer for pedestrians. 'The intention is really to make a safe environment for folks as they're ending their night and hopefully heading home or heading to the next location. It'll provide a safe travel pattern for the drivers and for the pedestrians,' Mauk said. Brooke Essy, a Manager at Tonic On Court Ave., said that she thinks the ride share zone will reduce traffic at night. 'Friday night, Saturday nights, the barricades being up, everything blocked off. Uber's get really tricky down here, and even during the week, two people are getting Ubers and always there's some kind of confusion on where to go. So, with there being a designated spy, it will definitely help out with all the confusion and everything,' Essy said. Metro News: City of Des Moines establishes rideshare pick up zone near Court Ave. Bridge contest draws engineering students from across the country to Iowa State Local team set to compete in Red Bull Soapbox Race Iowa and raise money for charity Des Moines car show featuring lowriders to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital Local tattoo artist arrested after Clive police say he sexually assaulted 2 at shop Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBC
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Uber is going province-wide in B.C.
Uber is going province-wide in B.C. News Duration 2:05 After coming to Vancouver in 2020, Uber is finally going province-wide on Wednesday, moving into smaller regional communities like Nanaimo. While some are eager to see a new way of getting around, others, as Claire Palmer reports, are worried about the impact it may have on existing cab companies and rideshare services.
CBS News
27-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Colorado city reveals new transportation option that's free
Now there's a new way to get around one Colorado city that is free. Link On Demand has hit the streets of Highlands Ranch as a new transportation option. Link On Demand CBS It's an extension of a program already in place in Lone Tree. The Link On Demand service will help everyone from youths to seniors by giving them the option to get around using the free rideshare service. Link On Demand works like other popular rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, except you can ride for free within the city limits of Lone Tree and Highlands Ranch. There are wheelchair accessible vehicles available on request. Link On Demand CBS The vehicles have room for five passengers, which makes it easier for families to get to where they need to go, for free. "What's impactful is hearing that for some riders, it's not just a casual ride to a store or to a CVS. It could be a life-threatening issue where they really do have a significant medical issue, and if they don't get a ride, they are not going to make it," said Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon. The Link On Demand rideshare service has expanded to include Lone Tree and Highlands Ranch. CBS Riders can schedule times for Link On Demand Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Fridays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Link On Demand does not operate on Sundays.
