Florida Cab Driver Accused of Raping a Passenger

Florida pedicab driver George Brainard has been accused of raping his passenger after she refused to pay him with sex according to Florida Sex Crimes Lawyer Jim Weick.

How the Events Unfolded That Day

According to The Daytona News-Journal, the victim was attending an event at the Daytona International Speedway with some of her friends on Friday, February 21st, 2014. At the event, she became separated from her friends. She shouted out for Brainard for a ride.
Brainard told the lady that he would not charge her if she agreed to have sexual intercourse with him. When she refused, the cab driver forced her into a wooded lot near the Speedway and assaulted her. The victim fortunately, managed to escape. In fact, she was spotted emerging from the lot with her clothes in a disheveled state by another pedicab driver, Nick Colavito. She was crying uncontrollably and screaming for help, as Colavito informed WFTV later on. Sex Crime Attorneys emphasize that State prosecutors will file charges for false imprisonment in case where a victim was forced into a location or kept against their will, even for a moment.

George Brainard, 28 years old, was arrested on charges of sexual battery and is currently held at the Volusia County Branch prison for $25,000 A Bail amount of $25,000 is quite below the norm claims Attorney Weick, leading him to believe that evidence may be lacking.

Prior Criminal History

Criminal lawyers from our firm also caution that considering that prior criminal history can severely effect bond amounts, the low release condition raises an eyebrow. This sounds like he said she said. Weick further adds that Brainard was previously found guilty of carrying a weapon within the premises of a local high school in 2004. He pleaded no contest to this charge and was put on probation for two years. This piece of information is sure to send shivers down the spines of a country that has been shocked and numbed by numerous instances of gun violence in its educational institutions. There is no knowing what Brainard would have unleashed that day had his weapon been not discovered.

But the above piece of information about George Brainard’s criminal past is sure to rattle another group of people who are probably now wondering if Brainard should have been allowed to drive a cab in the first place As the cab company is certain to be sued for negligence.
The Role of Criminal Background Checks as a Deterrent to Crimes
Employers across the United States are known to carry out stringent criminal background checks on their prospective employees. This is why people consoder it to be so detrimental to be convivted of any crime… the stigma. So what happened in case of George Brainard?
Unlike other taxi cab companies, George Brainard’s employer, Redi Pedi Cab Co., does not carry out criminal background checks on drivers. This information was furnished by Mike Chitwood, the Chief of Police of Daytona Beach, and it is sure to make people now think twice before hailing a pedicab.

Cab Drivers in the News

It seems that in recent times, cab drivers in Daytona Beach have acquired a murky reputation for themselves. According to the Daytona Beach Police Chief, his office regularly receives complaints about the risky and reckless driving habits and rude behavior of pedicab drivers from passengers and traffic police alike.
After this incident, Mike Chitwood called for stricter regulations on cab companies regarding the recruitment of their drivers. There are also many others who believe that these companies should conduct criminal background and drug tests on all their recruits.
Ciminal Attorney Weick, does not think the company is at fault in any event. Remember however, that I am a Sex offense lawyer and not a personal injury one.