A 66-year-old cab driver’s late-night fare outside Baltimore’s Horseshoe Casino turned violent when a passenger allegedly pulled out a chain, tried to steal the taxi, and smashed the driver’s-side window before bolting on foot, police say.
According to WBFF, officers were called to the 1500 block of Russell Street in south Baltimore on July 3 at about 10:45 p.m. The driver told investigators his passenger tried to carjack him and, when he refused, the man began hitting him with a chain and shattered the driver’s-side window. The injured driver managed to call 911. Dispatch audio indicates the struggle was picked up on nearby surveillance cameras, and the suspect ran off before officers arrived.
For Drivers, Violence Is a Familiar Risk
For cab and rideshare drivers in Baltimore, this kind of call is not exactly rare. Detectives regularly blast out suspect photos and lean on public tips to move these cases forward. In one April incident, police released images and said Metro Crime Stoppers was offering up to $4,000 for leads, as reported in an Uber Eats run turns terrifying case.
National data backs up what many drivers already know from experience. Taxi and limousine drivers face higher rates of workplace violence than many other workers, according to a NIOSH analysis published by the CDC. Late hours, cash exchanges and working alone add up to a risky mix that often leaves detectives relying on surveillance footage and anonymous tip lines when things go sideways.
Police Release Images, Offer Cash for Tips
Investigators have now released still images of the man they believe carried out the chain attack and announced a $4,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, WBFF reports.
Police are urging anyone with video or information from the area to contact Baltimore Police or Metro Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted anonymously through the P3 Tips app or by calling the 24-hour Metro Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-866-7LOCKUP, according to Metro Crime Stoppers.
How Drivers and Companies Try to Stay Safer
Occupational-safety researchers say there are concrete steps that can lower the odds of violent encounters for drivers. These include installing in-car cameras and partitions, shifting to cashless fares, and making sure video footage is preserved and shared with investigators after an incident.
A review of taxi and limousine industry deaths by NIOSH and an analysis by the Bureau of Labor Statistics point to such measures as effective at reducing violent incidents and helping police identify suspects. In some cities, widespread use of cameras and silent alarms has been credited with cutting fatal on-the-job assaults.
The investigation into the Horseshoe Casino-area attack is ongoing, and no arrests have been announced. Detectives are still asking anyone with footage or information from the 1500 block of Russell Street on July 3 to contact the Baltimore Police tip line or Metro Crime Stoppers.
