http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/story/8-men-attack-cabby-after-he-declines-pick-them-xmas-day
He saw a group of about eight youths, some standing in the middle of the road, some sprawled by the roadside.
Immediately, Mr Leo Siew Hwa, 52, slowed his yellow CityCab taxi and told them that he was unable to pick them up as "it was against the law" as they were near the road junction.
But that only made the men aggressive - they attacked him and his taxi.
Mr Leo suffered bruises, a sprained neck and a swollen lip, escaping serious injuries. His taxi was badly scratched and damaged.
"Two of them then stood in front of my taxi, blocking my way, while another big-sized guy grabbed my window. I was stuck. I couldn't drive off without knocking someone down."
By then, the rest of the group had also gotten up and surrounded his vehicle. And without warning, the eight men - who appeared to be in their 20s - started battering his taxi with objects they had picked up from a nearby construction site, he said.
"It was like explosions all around me. They were hammering, kicking and knocking at my windows, doors and side mirrors," he said.
A crash followed, the sound of his rear windscreen being smashed, he realised later. The man standing by his window also reached into the taxi and grabbed his neck.
"I struggled and ducked from his grasp, spraining my neck," said Mr Leo.
He said he was also punched on his lip by his attacker.
"All I could think of was driving off, but somehow the guy had reached for my keys, switched my engine off and was trying to pry it from the ignition."
He knew that if his assailant got the keys, he would be "in serious trouble". Then he noticed the two men had moved away from the front of his taxi.
"Immediately, I slapped and pushed the arm of (my attacker) and started my engine. He immediately pulled back his arm. That's when I seized the chance to drive off."
He escaped his alleged attackers and drove for 100m until they were out of sight. He then called the police.
"The police said members of the public had already informed them (of the incident)," he said.
No arrests have been made so far and investigations are ongoing, said a police spokesman.
Mr Leo said his taxi is undergoing repairs and he is unable to work until it is ready "sometime next week". He added that this was the first time in 13 years that he had encountered such a hostile situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment