Here’s a Monday morning story that illustrates some of the worst and the best characteristics of humans.
First, the worst: A 21-year-old woman was walking home from a bar early Sunday morning, listening to music with headphones, when 27-year-old cab driver Admon Shasho saw her and decided to attack her. He parked his cab and followed her into an alley in the 4500 block of North Oakley Avenue in Chicago, IL. He first tried to rob her of her purse and phone and then pulled her to the ground and sexually assaulted her. The cab driver told her he had a knife and that he would kill her if he screamed.
Then, the best: The cab driver and young woman were loud enough that a woman in nearby home heard them and woke up her husband, Ron Psenka. He told his wife to call 911 and then he grabbed a shovel and ran out the door, barefoot and in his pajamas.
“As a parent, certainly, the first thing that might cross your mind is, hey, that could be my own child under there,” said Psenka…
“Another human being doing that to another human being is not something anybody ever wants to see,” said Psenka. “This person was more than twice her weight and was easily manhandling her, and that’s not right.”
Barefoot and in his pajamas, Psenka chased the suspect away from the alley, the three blocks from his house to Wells Park on Western Avenue, which is where he was able to flag down a squad car. The police then pursued Shasho and apprehended him.
“I think I did what anybody else probably would do in this situation and that is try and stop him,” said Psenka. “I maybe went a little further, but at this point, to stop him and to make sure that she was OK.”
The cab driver is charged with attempted robbery and criminal sexual assault. He is being held at Cook County Jail on $700,000 bond.
The victim has already stopped by twice to thank Psenka. He said that Sunday morning that, she and her mom came by with flowers.”
Thanks to Ron and his wife for doing the right thing and helping out someone in need. I hope we can all do the same when we’re in similar situations.
