24-05-2025
'Choking me and scratching me': 82-year-old cab driver attacked by passenger
The Brief
An 82-year-old taxi cab driver was allegedly choked by a passenger she was dropping off.
The suspect was arrested and charged with one count of battery by strangulation.
The driver is sharing her story to warn other taxi, Uber and Lyft drivers to be aware of their surroundings.
What we know
ORLANDO, Fla. - The alleged attack happened on May 2. Carol Ann Johnson was called to Circles of Care for a normal passenger pick up and drop off. Johnson says during these pickups, people released form the care facility have to be dropped off at home.
This passenger, identified by police as Laway Meharie, didn't want go home and was telling Johnson to drop her off. The driver said after she started screaming in the back seat, she started choking her during the drive. Johnson fought for her life and tried to get other driver's attention by waiving her arms and yelling for help.
Thankfully, she was able to pull off near North Babcock and East Brevard. Someone had called 911 seeing her in danger, and Melbourne police weren't far away.
The suspect was arrested without incident, and Johnson is healing.
What they're saying
Johnson considers herself a survivor and is glad the suspect was arrested.
"She was reaching through the seats there with her hands around my neck choking me and scratching me and just trying to do me harm," said Carol Ann Johnson.
She wants other drivers to be aware and says more needs to be done to make sure dangerous people are off the street.
"She shouldn't be on the street. You know, she's I would say criminally insane and willing to do harm to someone," said Johnson.
The state attorney's office is working to assign a prosecutor to the case and moving forward with the charges.
What we don't know
It's unclear why exactly the suspect started choking Johnson. Police say, when they arrived on scene she was speaking gibberish, and officers couldn't communicate with her.
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The Source
FOX 35's Reporter Esther Bower read the police arrest report for the suspect. She emailed with the state attorney's office to get an update on where things stood with the case post arrest. She met the driver on 5/23 to discuss the attack and how she's healing.
