16-Year-Old Charged With Murder, Robbery of Cabbie
A teenager has been charged with the robbery and murder of long-time cab driver who was killed Sunday night in the Bronx after he was run over by his own taxi.
Police didn't identify the 16-year-old who allegedly stole a backpack from 65-year-old Mohammad Zafrullah's cab after asking for a ride to the Bronx. As the driver chased after the suspect, he left his taxi running with the gear in reverse and he was struck and killed.
It wasn't immediately clear whether the teen was charged as an adult or he will appear in Family Court.
Zafrullah suffered head trauma and spinal injuries from the freak accident. He was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later.
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers on Tuesday offered a $5,000 reward for information that led to an arrest.
"These senseless assaults on innocent drivers needs to stop, this City is NOT as safe as some might say. This Driver lost his life for no good reason," said Antonio Cabrera, the President of the NYSFTD.
In a news briefing Tuesday, NYSFTD urged other drivers not to chase alleged thieves while acknowledging, "Every fare to the drivers counts."
A man who lives near where the freak accident occurred, Ed Olivieri, says Zafrullah's cab ran into his parked vehicle and damaged both doors but he didn't witness what happened.
"It’s nothing for me to cry over considering, there was a life lost I can recover from that," Olivieri said. "It’s quite sad considering these men and women are hard workers, probably have families. Tragedy on a beautiful weekend."
Zafrullah had been driving cabs since 1997, according to the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
from NBC New York - Top Stories https://ift.tt/2XNucVN
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