Drunk American accused of striking taxi driver, causing crash in Ginza

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested an American male who allegedly struck a taxi driver inside his cab, causing an accident in the Ginza area of Chuo Ward early Thursday, reports TBS News (Aug. 24).

At 3:10 a.m., the American, a corporate officer aged in his 50s who was intoxicated at the time, allegedly grabbed the arm of the male driver, aged in his 60s, and beat him in the face from the back seat of the cab before seizing the wheel, according to the Tsukiji Police Station.

The vehicle then plowed into another taxi stopped on the road before careening down a footpath and into a barricade fronting a building. The accident scattered debris, including a bumper from the taxi, outside the front of the structure.

Police arriving at the scene arrested the American on suspicion of assault.

The taxi driver suffered injuries to his face that are expected to require one week to heal. No other persons were injured in the incident.

Police are investigating whether to apply charges of inflicting injury to the suspect.