Police: Cab driver Pesure Alshahapy offers girl ride then assaults her

Roswell police say a taxi cab driver is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl who he offered a ride.

Pesure Alshahapy, 55, has been charged with sex abuse and other charges stemming from the June 9 incident.

Investigators told Channel 2’s Mike Petchenik that Alshahapy saw the 16-year-old walking on Roswell Road in Buckhead, and stopped to offer her a ride.

”She told him she didn’t have any money for a ride and he said, ‘That’s OK. I’ll give you a ride for free,’ Roswell officer Lisa Holland said.

Holland said there were two other paying customers in the back of Alshahapy’s van, and after he dropped them off, he headed up Ga. 400 to take the victim to Alpharetta.

”Unfortunately, on the way down Ga. 400, he made sexual advances towards her, started rubbing her thigh, Holland said.  ”He asked her to perform a sexual act on him.  She was very afraid and briefly complied with his request.

At some point, Holland said the victim was able to fend off Alshahapy’s advances and he dropped her off at a location in Alpharetta.  Police were able to track him down on June 14 and arrested him at his Tucker home.

”There may be more victims out there, Holland said, adding that Alshahapy told police he often picked up college students from Emory. ”So we’re hoping if there’s other people involved with him, that would they notify us.

Online Fulton County jail records indicate that Alshahapy remains in custody without bond. He is scheduled to appear in court June 28. 

Petchenik called Alshahapy’s Tucker home to seek comment from relatives, but nobody answered the phone.  Petchenik also left a message with Alshahpay’s employer, Rapid Taxi, but he has not yet received a response.

Cabbies waiting for fares along Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell told Petchenik they were shocked to hear about the allegations.

”I think it’s sick, Frene Zephir said.  ”It’s absolutely ridiculous.

Cabbie Mo Ayeva told Petchenik an arrest like this hurts the image of cab drivers.

”I don’t know how much trust people can put on us anymore, he said.