Violent Uber Trip Started In Darien: Cops

DARIEN, IL — An Uber passenger picked up in Darien earlier this month brandished a gun, ordered the driver where to go and sexually assaulted her in a journey that ended in Chicago, police said.

Nearly two weeks ago, Darien police released a bare-bones report on the incident on social media, labeling it a kidnapping. The department was unable to provide more information because the police departments in Stickney and Summit, where authorities said the sexual assaults occurred, took charge of the investigation.

Andrew Anania, 25, of Berwyn, is facing felony charges of criminal sexual assault and armed robbery.

Darien Patch obtained the police report through a public records request to the Stickney police.

According to the report, a 29-year-old Uber driver was called to pick up a woman outside Burrito Paradise, 7516 S. Cass Ave. When the driver arrived, a man was waiting instead.

The man entered the driver's back seat and said he needed to go to the Ogilvie train station in downtown Chicago. The woman said she could not go there, but she could take him to the station in Westmont.

Then, the man, identified as Anania, pointed a gun at her and told her she would follow his orders, police said. Before she got onto Interstate 55, Anania climbed into the front seat.

He then ordered her on a route through Stickney and Summit, where he sexually assaulted the woman, according to police.

The trip ended in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, where Anania stole $6 from the woman and told her not to look back, the report said. He then left on foot.

In an interview, Stickney Deputy Police Chief Richard Jaczak said Anania had been in trouble with the law before in Summit, Berwyn and Lyons. The police report indicated Anania had connections to the Latin Kings gang.

"Those police departments were familiar with him," Jaczak said.

He said police know of no other instances of Anania attacking Uber drivers. Authorities have contacted Uber for any information on similar incidents, he said.

Anania was taken into custody March 14. His case is expected to go before a grand jury in the next couple of weeks, Jaczak said.

Darien Police Chief Greg Thomas said neither Anania nor the woman has any apparent connection to Darien.