Senate bill would increase penalty for killing taxicab driver

Jennifer Coleman

Tuesday, Feb. 23, 1999 | 4:03 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Punching a cabbie could get you 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine under a bill pushed Tuesday by the agency that regulates nearly 1,200 taxis in Las Vegas.

SB146, introduced by Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus at the request of the Nevada Taxicab Authority, would make assaulting a cab driver a felony. Cabbies would join police officers, bus drivers, school employees, prison guards, firefighters, judges and others already given such protection under state law.

Simple assault is a misdemeanor, punishable by fines up to $1,000 and six months in jail. But Titus, D-Las Vegas, told the Senate Judiciary Committee that stiffer penalties are needed to protect cab drivers.

More than 100 crimes against taxi drivers were reported in Las Vegas last year, including 23 cases resulting in injuries to drivers, she said.

"Some cities use mesh or glass partitions, but that's contrary to our message that we love visitors and it's a safe place to visit," Titus added.

Bob Anselmo, chief of the Taxicab Authority, said after the hearing that the idea is "to encourage people to respect drivers and not beat them up or worse."

"It's a very risky business to be in," he added. "Let's face it, cab drivers carry cash - not a lot, but they are a pretty easy mark."

Dave Sarnowski, criminal division chief in the state attorney general's office, also supported the measure.

"In the cases we see, the theme that resonates is that cab driver victims are chillingly at risk, particularly in the late hours," he said.

Ben Graham of the Nevada District Attorneys' Association also backed the bill - and not just because he once drove a cab.

"Almost every year there are appeals dealing with a robbery, assault or killing of a taxicab driver," he said.

Representatives of the Nevada AFL-CIO, which represents cabbies in Nevada, also supported the bill.

The only testimony opposing the bill came from Lucille Lusk of Nevada Concerned Citizens, a conservative organization. She said she realized her position wasn't politically correct.

"We oppose this, not because we have any animosity toward taxicab drivers, but because this creates a problem with unequal application of the law," she said.

When one group is singled out for special protection, that means there's another group that can be victimized by attackers who wouldn't be punished as severely, she said.