Man arrested for public drunkenness after kicking taxi’s side-view mirror in Chinatown

SINGAPORE – A 62-year-old man was arrested for public drunkenness after a video of him appearing to harass a taxi driver emerged on social media on May 11.

The arrested man is also being investigated for mischief.

In the 76-second video, which has been widely circulated, a man in a blue shirt appears to be pursuing another man in an orange T-shirt – the cabbie – as the pair circle a red Trans-Cab taxi.

The man in blue opens the front doors of the taxi once and appears to kick at the driver’s and front passenger’s seats from outside the vehicle.

Throughout the video, he appears to have an unsteady gait.

Both men can be seen holding up their phones at each other. At one point in the video, the man in blue kicks the left side-view mirror of the taxi, breaking it and leaving it dangling from the side of the vehicle.

When contacted on May 12, the police said they received a call for assistance in Upper Cross Street at 5.50pm on May 11. Police investigations are ongoing.

In response to The Straits Times’ queries, Trans-Cab said the driver had lodged a report with the company and that it was providing him with “the necessary support”.

Aside from the left side-view mirror of the taxi, its mobile data terminal and gear stick were both damaged, and there were scratches and dents on its bonnet, said the company. It is still assessing the vehicle for damage.

Trans-Cab said: “The driver is currently doing fine. We are assisting him with the necessary follow-up procedures.

“The safety and well-being of our drivers and passengers remain our priority, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities on the matter.”