Police seeking attacker of cabbie

Police seeking attacker of cabbie

Area 4 Violent Crimes detectives are stepping up their search for a suspect who attacked a taxi driver, imposing burns to the head and face of the victim.

Police say the suspect flagged down a taxi in the vicinity of Wabash and Grand and asked to be driven to the 600 block of North Ogden. Once there, the driver asked for his fare.

The suspect sprayed the driver with an aerosol substance and ignited the substance with a lighter setting the driver on fire. When the driver exited the cab and threw himself in the snow to stop the flames, the suspect exited the cab and continued to burn the driver.

The driver told police the suspect took approximately $100 from the driver's book bag in the front seat and fled on foot.

Recently, a taxi driver was found shot to death in the same general vicinity. Other drivers anonymously said they've refused to go into the area because they are aware of the dangers.

The driver told police his attacker is a Black male, approximately 27 to 32 years of age, about 6'0" and weighing about 195 pounds. The medium-complexioned suspect has brown eyes, short black hair, a scruffy mustache, a goatee, a scar under his right eye, black blemishes on his cheeks and was last seen wearing a black baseball cap with a white New York Yankees log.

He was also wearing a black leather jacket, blue jeans and a gold earring in his left ear.

Investigators would like to hear from anyone with information on this suspect. Informants can call (312) 746-8252 or "911" in emergency.

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