Female assaults taxi driver after fare dispute in Mission, steals vehicle

Photo: RCMP

SHORTLY before 11 p.m. on Friday, April 5, a taxi driver arrived in the area of Kudo Drive in Mission, where a dispute arose around the cab fare. The sole passenger, described as a white female in her mid-30s, reportedly stabbed the driver with a needle, then got into the driver’s seat and drove off, dragging the taxi driver a short distance.

The taxi driver went to a nearby residence for help, and was later taken to hospital for his injuries. Multiple officers from Mission RCMP attended the area and located the taxi, abandoned on Best Avenue near Cedar Street. Officers restricted traffic in the area while a police dog conducted a search for the female. The dog was able to pick up a track, which led to a residence on Kudo Drive, where a female suspect was detained. She was later released pending further investigation.

The driver has since been released from hospital.

“This was a senseless act of violence over what appears to have been a dispute over a taxi fare,” said Cpl. Harrison Mohr with Mission RCMP. “Our officers are in the process of gathering additional evidence to help confirm the identify of the female. If you saw any part of this — either the altercation with the taxi driver, or the female fleeing from the taxi on Best Avenue — please give us a call. We would also like to thank drivers and residents in the area for their patience while we were searching for the offender last night. Keeping people out of the area for a short time helped the police dog to get a good track and find important evidence.”

Residents in the area of Kudo Drive, Fujino Street, the 32600 and 32700 blocks of Best Avenue, and in the block of Cedar Street north of Best Avenue are also asked to check their CCTV footage from April 5, between 10:30 and 11:15 p.m., to see if it captured any part of the incident. Anyone with information should call Mission RCMP at 604-826-7161.