Darien man charged with hate crime

William Jennings, 47, of Darien was arrested Wednesday and charged with a hate crime in connection to a Dec. 22 incident involving a New York City cabbie. William Jennings, 47, of Darien was arrested Wednesday and charged with a hate crime in connection to a Dec. 22 incident involving a New York City cabbie. Photo: Contributed Photo Photo: Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Darien man charged with hate crime 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

STAMFORD -- A Darien investment banker was charged with a hate crime Wednesday for allegedly threatening and assaulting a cabbie of Middle Eastern descent, who drove him home from New York City, during a dispute over the fare, police said.

Darien police charged William Bryan Jennings, 47, of 39 Knollwood Lane, with second-degree assault, theft of services and second-degree intimidation based on race or bigotry. He was released after posting $9,500 bond and was to appear at court March 9. Jennings denied the allegations and through his attorney, Eugene Riccio, said he is the victim in the case.

Darien Police Lt. Ronald Bussell said the driver had made a complaint to police at about 12:30 a.m. Dec. 22.

The man told police he had given Jennings a ride home to his $3.6 million Knollwood Lane home around midnight. The driver said Jennings refused to pay the $200 cab fare, threatening him and using racial slurs, Bussell said.

The driver then drove with Jennings in the back seat to find a police officer to help settle the matter, Bussell said. When the driver put a hand through the cab's partition into the passenger compartment during the ride, Jennings stabbed the hand with a pen knife, Bussell said.

According to his profile, Jennings is a highly placed executive with Morgan Stanley.

Riccio said that his client fully cooperated with the police investigation.

"In our view, it was Mr. Jennings who was the subject of an abduction, and should be the victim in this case, not the defendant." Riccio said.

Riccio said that when the cabbie pulled into the driveway after driving Jennings from a charity event, the cabbie demanded $300, not $200 -- an "exorbitant amount." When Jennings balked, the cabbie said he was going to take him back to the city, Riccio said.

Jennings was being whisked through the neighborhood as the cabbie ran stop signs and red lights and could not get out of the car, Riccio said.

Riccio said Jennings pulled out a pen knife and demanded to be let out because he feared for his safety. On the Post Road, the cabbie tried to get the knife from Jennings and was cut, Riccio said, adding that Jennings did not intend that.

At that point, the cab stopped near the Interstate 95 entrance and Jennings jumped out, Riccio said.

john.nickerson@scni.com; 203-964-2320.