Rape charges against Chicago Uber driver dropped

Charges against a Chicago Uber driver accused of raping a passenger last November have been dropped in light of new evidence, according to Cook County authorities.

Prosecutors dropped the charges on Monday after discovering a video that driver Maxime Fohounhedo made on his cellphone during the November ride, showing him and the alleged victim engaging in friendly conversation.

“At the end, she gives him a big hug and a big kiss,” Fohounhedo’s attorney, Shady Yousif, told the Chicago Tribune. “That’s not somebody who’s in fear of her life.”

The 22-year-old woman who filed the charges had alleged Fohounhedo assaulted her when she was unconscious. When informed of the new evidence, “she understood the decision and did not object us going ahead and dismissing the charges,” said a spokeswoman for the state’s attorney’s office, Sally Daly.

Uber suspended Fohounhedo’s account with the company shortly after the allegations were made. A spokeswoman for the company declined to comment.

Fohounhedo has been in jail on $500,000 bail since his December arrest. The Tribune reports he was expected to be released soon.

Twitter: @traceylien