Cincinnati police are searching for an Uber driver accused of trapping a 16-year-old girl in his car and making inappropriate advances during what was supposed to be a quick ride home from West Price Hill. The teen, who was riding alone, eventually got out of the vehicle and her family later filed a report with police.
According to FOX19, an arrest warrant has been issued for Itunu Akintola on a charge of unlawful restraint. The teen recorded part of the encounter on her phone. In the audio, a male voice can be heard saying, “Get my number right now – or come with me right now,” the station reported.
FOX19 reports that the teen, identified by her mother as Ziyanna, said the driver first offered her a bottle of water he had already been drinking from. She told the outlet he then pushed her for her phone number and asked if she was home alone. When she asked to get out, she said he refused to unlock the doors. According to her account, she gave him a fake number and he finally opened the door only after she told him her father was calling.
Police Response And Charges
The family went to police after the ride, and Cincinnati officers documented the incident in a formal report. Police list unlawful restraint as the offense tied to the active warrant for Akintola. Investigators say the case remains open and the warrant is still active while they work to locate the suspect and review evidence.
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Legal Note
Under Ohio law, the offense of “unlawful restraint” covers knowingly restricting another person’s freedom of movement and is set out in ORC 2905.03. The statute also addresses situations where the restraint is committed with a sexual motivation. In most cases, it is treated as a third-degree misdemeanor, although prosecutors can consider additional charges depending on the facts of a case. The full text of the law is available in the Ohio Revised Code…