Society

Icelandic man assaults taxi driver in Osaka, flees without paying 3,000 yen

OSAKA, Oct 24 (News On Japan) - A 24-year-old man of Icelandic nationality has been arrested after punching a taxi driver in the face and fleeing without paying the fare.

Security camera footage from Oct 17 shows a passenger getting out of a taxi then banging the driver's door with his fist.

When the driver gets out, the passenger snatches his glasses, throws them to the ground, then punches the driver in the face before walking away.

Security cameras captured the Icelandic man walking down the shopping street right after the incident.

The taxi driver is seen chasing him.

Subsequently, the man assaulted the driver again, about 180 meters away from the original scene in Kita Ward, Osaka, and then fled in the direction of the station.

The amount of money involved was approximately 3,000 yen, and the 59-year-old driver was seriously injured, breaking bones below the eye socket.

The suspect was arrested on Oct 21, and has remained silent during the investigation.

by Brian Dentry

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