William Jennings
UPDATE 5:08 p.m.: A Knollwood Lane man faces charges of assault, larceny and racially-charged intimidation after a December incident left a New York City cab driver with lacerations to his hand after the rider reportedly stiffed the driver the fare from Manhattan to Darien.
William Bryan Jennings, 47, turned himself in to police on Wednesday. He later posted a $9,500 bond and he has court on Wednesday, March 7.
Jennings’s lawyer, Gene Riccio of Gulash & Riccio in Bridgeport, told The Darien Times that Jennings was “the victim of an abduction,” and should not be seen as the defendant.
“We have a serious disagreement with the facts as portrayed by the cab driver,” Riccio said.
The driver, a resident of Astoria, Queens, N.Y., told police that he picked up Jennings, who was intoxicated, in Manhattan and that Jennings agreed to pay the fare, which would be more than $100, according to a briefing provided by Darien Police Capt. Fred Komm.
The cab driver told police that Jennings would not give him an address to drop him off, but instead told him to drive around until Jennings ordered him to pull into a driveway in the area of Squab Lane near Leroy Avenue.
“That is absolute nonsense,” Riccio said. “The driver took him right to his house, that’s when the argument ensued.”
Police did not report whether the driver told police how much the fare was upon arrival. Riccio told The Times that the fare was $294, which was more like “extortion.” There was no agreed upon price beforehand, and no meter was used, according to Riccio. He claimed his client tried to offer the driver $160 but the driver refused, then began driving back to New York “with the door open.”
At this point, Jennings pulled out a penknife, which he had because he is a fisherman, Riccio said.
According to the driver’s testimony to police, after Jennings refused to pay the fare, the two began arguing and Jennings pulled the knife and began to stab the driver through the open partition behind the front seat.
Riccio said this claim is inaccurate, and that Jennings ordered the driver to stop as he held the knife in view of the driver, but that the driver grabbed the knife and then stopped the car. Jennings then ran off, according to Riccio.
The driver was of Middle Eastern descent, according to the Stamford Advocate, and claimed that Jennings used racial slurs during the argument. Jennings denied this accusation, Riccio said.
When asked if Jennings’s state of mind might have affected his recollection of the facts, Riccio said he did not think that was the case.
The driver called police and reported the incident, and was treated for wounds to his hands by Darien EMS-Post 53 on the scene, police said.
Riccio would not say whether his client would seek civil damages, or whether he would push for criminal charges against the driver.
The police did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Check back with DarienTimes.com for more.
ORIGINAL STORY: Knollwood Lane resident Bryan Jennings turned himself in to police on Wednesday over a December incident that left a New York City cab driver with lacerations to his hand after Jennings reportedly stiffed the driver the fare from Manhattan to Darien.
Jennings’s lawyer, Gene Riccio of Gulash & Riccio in Bridgeport, told The Darien Times that Jennings was “the victim of an abduction,” and should not be seen as the defendant.
“We have a serious disagreement with the facts as portrayed by the cab driver,” Riccio said.
The driver, a resident of Astoria, Queens, N.Y., told police that he picked up Jennings, who was intoxicated, in Manhattan and that Jennings agreed to pay the fare, which would be more than $100, according to a briefing provided by Darien Police Capt. Fred Komm.
The cab driver told police that Jennings would not give him an address to drop him off, but instead told him to drive around until Jennings ordered him to pull into a driveway in the area of Squab Lane near Leroy Avenue.
“That is absolute nonsense,” Riccio said. “The driver took him right to his house, that’s when the argument ensued.”
The driver did not tell police how much the fare was upon arrival. Riccio told The Times that the fare was $294, which was more like “extortion.” There was no agreed upon price beforehand, and no meter was used, according to Riccio. He claimed his client tried to offer the driver $160 but the driver refused, then began driving back to New York “with the door open.”
At this point, Jennings pulled out a penknife, which he had because he is a fisherman, Riccio said.
According to the driver’s testimony to police, after Jennings refused to pay the fare, the two began arguing and Jennings pulled the knife and began to stab the driver through the open partition behind the front seat.
Riccio said this claim is inaccurate, and that Jennings ordered the driver to stop as he held the knife in view of the driver, but that the driver grabbed the knife and then stopped the car. Jennings then ran off, according to Riccio.
Jennings also denied making any racial slurs toward the driver, Riccio said. When asked if Jennings’s state of mind might have affected his recollection of the facts, Riccio said he did not think that was the case.
The driver called police and reported the incident, and was treated for wounds to his hands by Darien EMS-Post 53 on the scene, police said.
It’s unclear what Jennings is being charged with at this point. Riccio would not say whether his client would seek civil damages, or whether he would push for criminal charges against the driver.
The police did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Check back with DarienTimes.com for more.
Ron Edge
October 13, 2012
A fine job of reporting Mr. DesRoches, in this series!! And Kudos(!!) to the Editor(s) of the The Darien Times for taking a principled stand against the Dhimmi Darien PD Officers.
It’s REALLY difficult to receive Justice when so many News outlets, Police Departments and elected/appointed Officials duck & run for cover whenever Muslims are involved.
Another surprise, if it may be referred to as such, is that Mr. Anmar waited to play the Religion/Ethnic Card (Islam is NOT a “Race”).
With all of the improprieties so far uncovered, one would hope that further Judicial/Official harassment(s) would cease, which would allow Mr. Jennings to resume his interrupted life.
(A word, Mr. Jennings: If you’ve had a few too many to drive or rent a car, you’ve had too many to squabble, don’t you think? Maybe?)