Man alleges assault by taxi driver
Angus Durrie says he was left bleeding with a broken nose and concussion in dispute over fare
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Charges are pending against an Aurora Taxi cab driver after a man says he was attacked over a fare dispute.
Angus Durrie posted this photo on Facebook last week of himself with two black eyes. Durrie said he was beaten by a taxi driver after telling the driver he would have to go to a debit machine in order to pay him. - photo courtesy of Facebook |
The alleged victim, Yellowknife restaurant manager Angus Durrie, 31, posted his version of events on Facebook last Tuesday.
"Aurora Taxi in Yellowknife delivered to me two black eyes instead of home last night," he stated.
Durrie admits he had been drinking when he hailed the cab downtown for a ride to McDonald's on Old Airport Road. He said he paid for his meal using his debit card, then had the driver take him to his residence at Ciara Manor on 51 Street near School Draw Avenue.
When he realized he had no cash and the cab had no debit machine, Durrie said he asked to be taken to an ATM.
"The driver said, 'No you have to pay now, I already accepted another fare,'" he said, adding he told the driver his name and where he worked and offered to come in the next day to pay his fare, which he said was almost $20.
"As I got out of the car - so did he," said Durrie. "He started coming after me like he wanted a fight. I told him, 'Dude - you'd better stop advancing or I'll call the police.' He then smacked the phone out of my hand, shattering the screen."
Then, Durrie said the driver threw him to the ground and punched him five times in the face, leaving him bleeding with a broken nose and concussion. He said RCMP came to the scene and called an ambulance for him.
He was treated in emergency at Stanton Territorial Hospital and then released, Durrie said in a phone interview with Yellowknifer on Monday.
"I gave an (recorded) audio statement to RCMP last Friday," he said. "In my opinion he should certainly lose his taxi licence. I want my phone fixed and I don't want to pay for the ambulance. This is a public-safety issue - that's why I posted about it."
Durrie said he contacted Aurora Taxi and was told the company's board of directors wants nothing to do with the situation.
According to an e-mail from RCMP spokesperson Marie York-Condon, police responded to an assault complaint a week ago Monday where a taxi driver had allegedly assaulted another individual.
"A male has been arrested ... and released on conditions," she stated. "The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending."
The suspect's name has not been released.
Yellowknifer contacted Aurora Taxi but calls had not been returned as of press time.
According to the city's livery bylaw, taxi licences are not issued to anyone who has a criminal conviction for serious crimes such as homicide, aggravated assault, sexual assault or drug offences. Taxi licences can be granted to people with criminal convictions, depending on the severity of the crime.
Doug Gillard, the city's manager of municipal enforcement, said if a taxi driver is convicted of a criminal offence, the city will take steps to revoke that driver's permit.
"I have taken steps to identify who the drive was so I can monitor the status of his criminal charges," he stated via e-mail.
