Cab driver jumped by 4 men he picked up in Queens on New Year's; no arrests made
CORONA, Queens (WABC) -- A frightened New York City cab driver is speaking out about a vicious attack that happened New Year's Day in Queens as police continue to look for the suspects.
For Zulqarnain Alam New Year's Eve was an opportunity.
"I saw it's busy so that's why I came out to work," Alam said.
He thought it would be easy money. Little did he know it would actually cost him.
The 20-year-old says he was jumped by a group of men at 4:30 a.m. on New Year's Day when he picked them up in Queens. He says one of them was angry.
"He was like trying to attack me from back, he was trying to jump over everyone, jump over everyone. Then I understood he was trying to attack me you know," Alam said.
Alam says the other three held him back, but after a few blocks, that passenger became more aggressive.
"He's almost here. He's trying to punch me you know," Alam said.
So, Alam pulled over and told them to get out, but he had to exit his vehicle first.
"From the inside it's kind of hard to open it. I opened the door for them like this. I backed off. I backed off. And then the guy came out and then he tried to attack on me," Alam said. "After that he tried to punch my window. I was like exactly here and then I walked up to here I said, 'what's wrong with you, why you punching my thing?' And then one guy from the backside he went up this way and then he punched my face."
That's when Alam says all four of them jumped him.
Eventually he managed to outrun them, but not before busting his nose, cracking his tooth and leaving him with bloody knees.
It happened at Junction Boulevard and 53rd Avenue in Corona.
The victim says that because it was New Year's Eve, it took too long for help to arrive.
He says he waited two hours for an ambulance then finally gave up and took himself to the hospital.
Alam says he provided cops with the passenger's phone number who used their number to hail his cab.
Police though have made no arrests.
"I'm actually very nervous you know. Just very nervous," Alam said.
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