New York City cab driver describes being slashed in throat by passenger
EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- A New York City cab driver is speaking out about a terrifying incident in which he was attacked by a passenger and ended up crashing.
He's been driving a yellow cab for 25 years, but Jaswinder Singh is now afraid to do his job after he says a passenger, unprovoked, slashed his throat Monday night.
"He pulled the hand all the way up and snatch like this. He tried to kill me," said Singh. "The doctor came, he said you are lucky. Half an inch the knife go into your body, your throat gonna be cut, you're dead. You're lucky you're safe."
Singh picked up the passenger at NYU Hospital around 9 p.m. Monday and said he asked to be taken to Harlem.
On the way, Singh says the passenger asked him demeaning questions about his race and religion. "Where you come from, why you come like this over here," said Singh.
The cab was moving at 106th Street and First Avenue when Singh says he suddenly found himself in a headlock.
Video from Citizen App showed how the driver lost control and swerved in front of a giant delivery truck, which rear-ended the cab.
The passenger ran away. Only then did the long-time driver realized he was gushing blood.
"Very bad shape, I can't sleep," said Singh. "I was shaking, my body was shaking, what happened with me. I just plead to NYPD to just find this guy and put him in jail because he gonna kill another guy too."
The attacker was last seen running down First Avenue. Singh calls it a hate crime, but the NYPD is not yet sure, treating it as a dispute that turned into an assault.
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