Taxicab driver dies after falling, hitting head while chasing after passengers who refused to pay

Sunday, August 14, 2022

Cab driver dies after falling, hitting head while chasing after passengers who refused to pay

A taxi driver died after he fell and struck his head while chasing after passengers who refused to pay their fare in Queens Saturday. Sonia Rincon has the story.

EDGEMERE, Queens (WABC) -- A taxi driver died after he fell and struck his head while chasing after passengers who refused to pay their fare in Queens Saturday.

According to police, Kutin Gyimah, 52, let five passengers out near Beach 54th Street and Arverne Boulevard in Edgemere just before 6:30 a.m.

The passengers tried to evade paying the fare and also assaulted and attempted to rob the driver, police said.

Gyimah chased after them and that's when he fell and struck his head. He suffered a severe head wound and was taken to St. John's Hospital where he died.

Neighbors in Edgemere are furious and hope the five people responsible for Gyimah's death don't get away with it.

"You're going to jail for sure. What do you think, that the police are going to let you go now because you've just killed somebody? You're going to jail. So you might as well stop running and come over to the precinct and sit down identified," Dennis Jenkins said.

As police continue to look for the five suspects, the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers is offering a reward for information leading to their arrests. That reward is currently up to $15,000.

The federation is also raising money to help his family pay for his funeral with a GoFundMe page.

Gyimah leaves behind his wife and four children, ages three, five, seven, and eight.

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