Teen allegedly stabs cabbie on ride home from jail

An 18-year-old fresh out of jail Sunday stabbed a cab driver in the hand and stole the cab, Houston police said.

Jose Lopez hailed a Yellow Cab about 6:45 a.m. after being released from the Houston police station jail on Mykawa. He wanted to go to Telephone and the Gulf Freeway, said HPD spokesman John Cannon.

The two men were arguing while stopped in a parking lot a few blocks away from Telephone on Tellepsen.

Cannon said Lopez cut the 49-year-old cab driver's hand with a pocket knife and took the cab. Police stopped and arrested Lopez without incident nearby on Scott.

The teenager faces charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle and aggravated assault.

The cab driver was transported to Christus St. Joseph Hospital for his injury.

brian.rogers@chron.com

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