A 75-year-old Russian tourist was assaulted by an unlicensed taxi driver after he refused to pay a $149 cab fare on a ride that barely lasted a few minutes. According to the police, 41-year-old cabbie Wayne Walker picked up the passenger around 4 p.m. at JFK Airport on Friday. The Post reports that the elderly man asked to be taken Terminal 2. They reached their destination about in a matter of minutes (the Post says the whole ride was about 75 feet), which is when Walker allegedly handed him a $149 fare.
The passenger, who was visiting from Moscow and only speaks a little English, refused to pay. Walker then allegedly locked all of the doors and wouldn't let the man leave; at some point, Walker allegedly assaulted the man inside the cab, leaving him with a bloody face and clothes.
Walker, who is not licensed by the TLC, was arrested on the spot. Police say he has been charged with unlawful imprisonment, misdemeanor assault, criminal trespass, and unlawful solicitation of ground transportation.
