A Dublin taxi driver was the victim of an assault this Saturday morning when a passenger began choking and punching him while driving down Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan.
The driver proceeded to crash the car into a lamppost following the assault but luckily escaped with only minor injuries.
It is understood that the driver picked up the assailant and a woman in the Sandyford area at around 2:30am on Saturday, December 28.
The driver let the woman out just before the male passenger started to become violent, grabbing him by the neck and punching him – this caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash it into a lamppost.
Although the driver was not seriously hurt, it is believed the attacker fled the scene on foot.
In a statement, An Garda Siochana said they are “investigating an assault that occurred on the Kilmacud Rd lower, Stillorgan Co. Dublin on Dec 28, 2019 at approximately 2:30am.
“A taxi driver (male in 30s) was allegedly assaulted in the taxi while driving.
“The car then struck a utility pole and the passengers fled on foot.
“The driver was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. No arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing.”
Independent councillor for the area and Leas Cathaoirleach for the council, Deirdre Donnelly said a more visible security presence is needed.
“This is truly shocking. I live in the area and am extremely put out that a taxi driver was treated in this way. I hope he’s alright.
“If there had been pedestrians out walking or if other cars had been on the road at that time things could have been a lot worse.
“There is a definite need for more CCTV in the county as well as a greater Garda presence.”
Fine Gael councillor John Kennedy also called for more support of taxi drivers.
“I condemn any such assaults on taxi drivers and it serves as a reminder that taxi drivers can face frightening, unsettling scenarios when undertaking late-night and early-morning driving, in a context where they need to focus and maintain control of a car in motion in lowered night-time visibility.”
