year-old Saudi woman found driving stopped by police Thursday in Jeddah's Al-Azizia District was detained for six hours in Al-Shimaliyah Police Station before being released into the custody of her step brother and mother, according to a report in Arabic daily Al-Madina. A Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officer spotted the woman wearing a sports cap and driving a Honda Accord. The woman explained that she was driving the car because her driver had illegally left her employment, and she needed to reach a wedding hall on time where she was scheduled to sing. The young woman lives with her mother and sisters, as her father is dead, and it was her step brother on her mother's side who picked her up at the police station. The woman said that she had an international driving license which she obtained in a foreign country and that she drove cars when she was abroad. Initial investigations by the police reveal no evidence that the woman intended to create a public scene, but the case has been referred to the Commission for Investigation and Prosecution to determine the exact circumstances of the incident. Moreover, as she was not wearing a veil or head scarf, she may have to face charges of appearing unveiled in public.
