A Florida man was arrested on Monday in connection with smashing a yellow taxi cab amid the chaos that followed the New York Knicks’ Game 4 victory on Wednesday, according to police.
Saul Vargas, 21, of Florida, was charged with criminal mischief for allegedly breaking the windshield and hood of a yellow cab at the junction of 36th Street and Seventh Avenue shortly after midnight on Thursday, according to officials.
According to sources, Vargas was on his way back to Florida when he realized he was sought and surrendered himself in at the 42nd Precinct in the Bronx. He surrendered shirtless, according to sources.
Following the cab smashing, rapper French Montana, social media content producer Zachery Dereniowski, and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance coordinated a contribution to assist the 59-year-old driver, whose livelihood was dependent on the taxi service.
“This was a hardworking driver simply trying to make a living, and I’m incredibly grateful he wasn’t seriously injured,” said TLC Commissioner Midori Valdivia in a statement on Monday. “There is no reason for the type of behavior he was subjected to, and anyone with knowledge about those who committed this event should contact the NYPD immediately. Our TLC drivers are some of the best ambassadors for New York City and should be treated as such.”
Police are still looking for two more people in connection with the incident.
Fifteen people were arrested and 41 summonses were issued after 10,000 people flocked to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday to see the Knicks play Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Following their victory over the San Antonio Spurs, which moved them one game closer to winning the NBA Championship, scores of individuals were observed lighting pyrotechnics, overturning cabs, climbing on police cars, and hitting officers, according to authorities.
Ten NYPD officers were hurt while corralling spectators during the incidents, including one who was hit in the head with a glass bottle, according to the NYPD.
Leave a Reply