With Lollapalooza starting, warnings issued about fake rideshare drivers, other safety concerns
Just this week, Chicago police put out an alert about two women sexually assaulted by a man they said posed as a driver.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said the Chicago Police Department is ramping up its presence in the rideshare pickup and drop-off areas for Lollapalooza along Monroe Drive.
Hopkins said with road closures around Grant Parka and construction in areas, people should use the 'L' or Metra. But if people must take a rideshare, they need to be careful.
"Don't rely on someone rolling down the window, yelling to you, 'Hey, I'm your Uber!'" said Hopkins. "Chances are that's not a legitimate ride."
Lollapalooza 2025: Schedule, festival map, Chicago road closures, bag policy
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications said anyone using a service like Uber or Lyft must have the rideshare drop them off or pick them up within a rectangle bounded by DuSable Lake Shore Drive on the east, State Street on the west, Wacker Drive on the north, and 14th Street on the south.
Ald. Hopkins said most rideshares will be routed to Monroe Drive.
But new this year, no one can get dropped off or picked up on DuSable Lake Shore Drive, or they will risk getting a ticket.
"The app will tell the driver where they can pick up their passenger," Hopkins said. "It'll guide their passengers to that location, and we can adjust it if necessary."
Hopkins said the CPD has been instructed to look for fake rideshare drivers, keeping an eye out for signs like counterfeit placards on windshield, and erratic driving.
Meanwhile, area hospitals such as Rush University Medical Center are also ready.
"We do prepare for sort of a surge in young patients," said Dr. Antonia Nemanich of Rush.
Nemanich said Rush could see anywhere from 10 to 20 more patients a day on top of their already-busy emergency room volume. The hospital will treat both alcohol and drug overdoses.
"Always have a lot of suspicion for any drug that isn't coming from a dispensary or from a reputable source, because all bets are off," Nemanich said. "You might, you know, think it's ketamine, MDMA, and it could be laced with fentanyl or something else."
Overall, city officials said they want people to have good time. But how they spend that time, and how they get to and from the festival safely, is most important.
"We know that stakes are higher," Hopkins said. "We are determined to keep everyone safe."
Police earlier this week issued a community alert about the fake rideshare driver. They said he struck around 5 a.m. back on Sunday, March 30, in the 1100 block of North Lake Shore Drive in the Gold Coast, and again around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 19, in the 1500 block of North Wells Street in Old Town.
Police said the fake rideshare driver picked up female victims in a midsize black SUV, and later sexually assaulted them. The vehicle was not the one ordered by the victims via a ride-sharing app.
Hopkins said Chicago police have strong leads in the case, and an update should be coming soon.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2 dead, 6 others wounded after party shooting in downtown Los Angeles
A total of six people were wounded after a party in downtown Los Angeles overnight, and police say two of them are dead. Carlos Saucedo reports for KTLA News on August 4, 2025. Details:
CBS News
8 minutes ago
- CBS News
Lowrider Lane street sign stolen from Sacramento's Miller Park
For decades, Sacramento's Miller Park has been a popular spot for cruising in cars. "When the weather's good, we come out here with our families, take a drive," said Francine Mata, president of the Sacramento Lowrider Commission. Last year, custom car clubs successfully worked with city leaders to change the name of the street that runs through the park to Lowrider Lane. But now, less than a year after the new street sign went up, it's been stolen. "It's just heartbreaking to look over there and see it's not there anymore," Mata said. Mata said her organization helped raise money to make the name change. "The community came together and donated," Mata said. "It was $10,400." She first noticed the sign missing this past Sunday and said the theft took place sometime within the last week. "I always felt that's something that you don't touch," Mata said. "It's pretty sacred for our community." Cruising had been banned in Sacramento for more than 30 years, but in 2022, the law was repealed. Mata said that renaming the street where cruisers traditionally gathered is a recognition and acceptance of Sacramento's car club history. "There are so many people that don't understand why we do what we do, don't know the culture," she said. The city said it's working on replacing the stolen sign, which will cost about $200. Mata said she has no idea if the sign was taken by a lowrider enthusiast or someone opposed to the name change. She just wants the original sign returned. "It means a lot to our entire community," she said. "Just bring it back." The city said public works crews will be placing the new street sign in a more secure bracket to deter theft.
Washington Post
14 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Alexis Martin, prominent antitrafficking activist, released from prison
AKRON, Ohio — Alexis Martin, a prominent antitrafficking activist, was ordered released from prison Monday following more than a decade of lobbying from advocates, legislators and celebrities, who argued courts should do more to protect, rather than punish, child trafficking survivors who commit crimes related to their abuse. An Ohio judge's decision to suspend Martin's sentence and free her on judicial release was the result of an agreement in which Martin pleaded guilty to lesser charges, including involuntary manslaughter, for her role in the death of her alleged abuser when she was 15. The case has been closely watched by those pushing the criminal justice system to give more leeway to trafficking victims.
