NEW YORK ā A cab driver in New York City was caught on camera dragging an elderly woman out of his car this week.
A man who just happened to be walking by Wednesday afternoon pulled out his phone and started recording as the 78-year-old woman was forcefully pulled from the car by the driver.
As soon as he approaches, the woman is heard screaming, āCall the police!ā
The video shows the woman hitting the driver with her cane.
Ezra Halawani, 35, is then seen confronting the man. He manages to get him to turn over the womanās phone.
But shortly after that, the cab driver gets back in the car and takes off, hitting Halawani in the process, police said.
āAre you OK?ā Halawani asked the victim.
āNo Iām not!ā she responded. āIām a 78-year-old lady and he pulled me out of the cab! He took my money! He took my phone!ā
āNo, I have your phone. I took your phone back,ā Halawani said.
The New York Taxi and Limousine Commission is working with the New York Police Department in the investigation.
āI just couldnāt believe that someone could do something like that to -- forget just an old woman -- just any person in general,ā Halawani said.
The state Federation of Taxi Drivers released a statement, saying the driverās actions were totally unjustified.