Lyft driver charged in sex assault linked to 2nd case: police

PONTIAC, Mich. (WJBK) - A Lyft driver was arrested in Pontiac for allegedly sexually assaulting a passenger.

The 100 block of North Saginaw in Pontiac - from the outside features small storefronts. Beneath the surface of one of these buildings, investigators say there was a sexual assault.

On April 24th just after 5 p.m. the Oakland County Sheriff's Office says 24-year old Raheel Bin Hanif offered his Lyft passenger a massage.

He would pay her $400 to practice his "therapy" and in return she would answer a survey about how it was. He even gave her an open can of "Four Loko" an alcoholic drink. She told investigators she had ridden with Hanif before, so she drank it. 

"She had a little bit of a rapport with him so I guess she let her guard down," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.

She told police at this point she was feeling buzzed and they go into the so-called health spa.

"It is not what you would picture with a sign that says massage spa," Bouchard said. "Not a licensed business, that wasn't the case."

After the massage, Hanif allegedly offers her more money - $1,000 this time he wants to go further and asks for sex.

When she says no, she's allegedly sexually assaulted.

Investigators realized the suspect has been listed in another sexual assault from the end of 2017. At the time they didn't have enough to issue a warrant at the time, now they want folks with info in either case to come forward.

FOX 2: "April 24th at 5 p.m. did you notice anything suspicious?"

"Not really," said John Carlos Medina, who works at a barbershop in the same block where the assault reportedly happened.

"We're here from 7 until 8 every day and to hear something like that, it's scary." Medina said.

FOX 2 went to see if anyone in Hanif's home could tell us more about this man - now arraigned on three counts of third degree criminal sexual conduct and released with a GPS tether on $750,000 bond -- but no one answered.

"This is a reminder," Bouchard said. "If the hair on your neck stands up and this is kind of odd, why is he handing me a drink - stay away. That's probably the best course of action."