A Winnipeg cab driver has been charged with sexually assaulting a young woman who accepted his offer of a free ride.

Police announced details of the case on Friday, saying the July 9 incident occurred shortly after a 17-year-old female had been offered a ride at 2:30 a.m. while near the corner of Bishop Grandin Boulevard and Pembina Highway.

With the girl seated in the front seat, police said the driver made inappropriate contact with her, at which point a sexual assault occurred.

Following a short drive, police said the victim got out of the cab and notified an adult of what had happened.

A Winnipeg police spokesman said video from the cab is a “component of the investigation.”

On Wednesday, a 37-year-old man was arrested and now faces charges of sexual assault and sexual interference.

He was released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.

A source said the driver was from one of the city’s two major taxi companies.

A Unicity Taxi spokesman said it wasn’t one of their drivers.

Duffy’s Taxi general manager Ram Valluru said he wasn’t sure if it was one of their drivers based on “limited information.” He said their policy would be to take the driver out of service and await the recommendation of the Manitoba Taxicab Board as to the status of the driver’s license.

A message left for the secretary of the taxicab board, whose mandate includes investigating complaints and disciplining drivers, was not returned.