At first, the taxi driver insisted to police that the fare they were inquiring about had been a "no-show" -- even though his employer's records showed he picked her up in West St. Paul shortly before she reported to police that he sexually assaulted her in his cab.

So police officers disclosed to Mustafa A. Hussein of Minneapolis that laboratory tests had detected DNA, which appeared to be his, on the woman's face where he allegedly kissed her cheek.

The attack allegedly happened Sept. 5 after she got in a cab at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. for a ride from a West St. Paul house party to an apartment on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul. But nobody was at the apartment, so she told the driver to take home to Inver Grove Heights.

According to court documents, the attack allegedly started with Hussein groping her as they drove to Inver Grove Heights, where Hussein turned off on a dark side road, got onto her side of the front seat and began to touch her, the complaint says. She fought until he agreed to drive her home, it says.

Friday, Hussein was summoned to court on suspicion of fifth-degree sexual conduct, a gross misdemeanor crime. The incident allegedly occurred in the area of Hwy. 110 in the cities of Mendota Heights and West St. Paul.

After police ended their interview with Hussein, he finally admitted having kissed and groped the victim, according to the complaint.

JOY POWELL