Taxi driver Balwinder Mander was attacked by a passenger outside a southeast community police station in the early morning hours of Monday, Feb. 18.
EDMONTON – A veteran Indo-Canadian cab driver in Edmonton was hospitalized with a smashed cheekbone after he was attacked by a customer. Now his son is advocating for more driver safety.
Balwinder Singh Mander — a cabbie for 25 years — initially picked up a couple of passengers from a bar in the southeast neighbourhood of Ellerslie around 2 a.m. Family Day Monday, his son Vick Mander said this week.
After dropping off one passenger in Beaumont, the other became evasive in providing a drop-off location so the driver asked him for a $40 deposit and was finally directed to the Mill Woods area, said the victim’s son.
Once there though, the passenger would still not give a proper address so Mander’s dad stopped at a southeast community police station for help but it was closed. He used the phone outside to call and report that the passenger was intoxicated, not providing a proper address and likely would not pay the tab. An officer was then dispatched to the location.
Balwinder Mander then returned to his taxi where the passenger, who had been sleeping, asked why they were at a police station and began attacking him, punching him in the head.
“My dad saw the cops in the rear view while he was getting hit and the guy tried running out of the car and he got arrested,” said Vick Mander, adding he hopes that sharing his dad’s story will help other taxi and other drivers be more vigilant.
“These guys, they risk their lives driving people around and taking them safely to destinations,” added Vick Mander.
Mander said his father has since been released from hospital but has been traumatized by the attack.
