Man Charged with 'Viciously' Sexually Assaulting, Kidnapping Woman: Hamden Police

HAMDEN, CT - Hamden Police have charged a man with “viciously” sexually assaulting and kidnapping a woman who had left a New Haven bar and thought she was getting into an Uber car, according to police.

Ahmad Bahjat, 29, who had fled to Canada within 24 hours of the incident and took two subsequent flights to Turkey and Jordan, was arrested by Hamden Police on Friday.

Hamden Police responded to Yale-New Haven Hospital during the early morning hours on Jan. 31 to meet with the victim of a sexual assault, according to Capt. Ronald Smith.

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Smith said investigation revealed that the woman exited a local New Haven bar and walked to a parking area designated for taxi and Uber drivers.

The victim entered a motor vehicle, which she believed was being operated by an Uber driver.

While en route to her residence, the purported Uber driver, who was later identified as Bahjat, parked his vehicle in a parking lot and viciously sexually assaulted her, according to Smith.

Bahjat then drove the victim to the vicinity of her residence and she quickly exited the vehicle, while leaving several personal items behind.

Smith said the victim suffered injuries to her neck, knees and wrist.

Detective William C. Onofrio assumed the investigation and ascertained that Bahjat’s vehicle was parked in the area of Crescent Street and Dyer Street in New Haven. Officers subsequently seized his vehicle, which contained numerous pieces of evidence.

Within 24 hours of the incident, Bahjat, who has an immigration status of “Permanent Resident-Non- Citizen”, who is a 2012 refugee from Iraq, fled the United States, taking a flight to Toronto, Canada, according to Smith.

Bahjat then took two subsequent flights to Turkey and Jordan.

Onofrio submitted an arrest warrant application for Bahjat to Meriden Superior Court. The court approved the arrest warrant application.

On Feb. 11, the United States Customs Service/Border Protection detained Bahjat at JFK International Airport, as he was attempting to re-enter the United States, according to Smith.

He was incarcerated in New York, pending extradition to Connecticut.

Hamden Police arrested Bahjat, of 507 Norton Parkway, Apartment 1C, New Haven, on Feb. 26. He was charged with first-degree sexual assault, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree unlawful restraint.

Bahjat, who is being detained on a court-ordered $500,000 bond, is scheduled to appear in Meriden Superior Court on March 11.

“The Hamden Police Department would like to thank the United States Customs Service/Border Protection, United States Marshal Service, NYPD, New York Port Authority Police, Southern Connecticut State University Police Department and Assistant District Attorney George Farrugia,” Smith said in a statement.

Hamden Police Department photo