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'I could be dead', says taxi driver assaulted in dash cam footage

'I could be dead', says taxi driver assaulted in dash cam footage

The taxi driver whose assault was captured in dashcam footage that went viral says he could have died in the incident.

The video showed a passenger repeatedly using a racial slur and attempting to punch the driver.

A man has since turned himself in after the video went viral on social media.

The incident took place on the Malahide Road in Donnycarney, Dublin, around 10pm on Easter Sunday.

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Speaking to RTE the taxi driver, Sam, who did not wish to use his surname, said the passenger had been verbally abusing him from early in the journey and had been asked to leave the taxi on three or four occasions, but refused to get out.

"I was looking around to see if there was any guard on the street, but I didn't see any guard passing by so I continued the journey.

"He asked me to park on the roadside. He talked to me. We laughed. We shook hands, and I thought he really meant it, until when he grabbed the steering wheel when I was driving.

I could be dead, something terrible could have happened on that night.

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Sam added: "I tried to take control of the car so I wouldn't have an accident. When I stopped the car, he was just hitting me. I was trying to defend myself, making sure I didn't get hurt badly.

"I was in real shock because I could not imagine that. I've had abusive people in the past but they've never hit you; they only talk."

Sam says he is prepared to go to court over the case if needs be.

"What I want is justice, for equity to prevail, irrespective of the colour if it is a taxi driver, justice will take its course...That is exactly what I want.

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"I am prepared to go to court if need be. I was told my report would be put in the system, they [the gardaí] contacted me on Sunday about the issue. When the guy turned himself in, the garda contacted me.

"I went yesterday to a garda station and gave my statement and to give all the video footage from the time he entered my car to the time that incident happened.

"It's too late at this stage for another apology. I have given him enough chance. What if something terrible happened to me on that day.

"I have children, I have a wife, what would be their fate?"

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