Columnist Jeff German: Gans comes to aid of cabby’s son

Friday, Nov. 5, 2004 | 11:04 a.m.

Las Vegas cabbies are making headway in their fund-raising campaign for the teenage son of slain driver Pairoj Chitprasart despite a pathetically weak response from the cab companies.

Mirage entertainer Danny Gans has donated $10,000, giving cabbies a total of $35,000 for 14-year-old David Chitprasart.

Gans, the drivers tell me, has issued a challenge to others in the community to match or beat his contribution.

Cabbies still have a long way to go to reach their goal of collecting $100,000 by Thanksgiving.

But they aren't having much luck getting the greedy companies, the so-called leaders of the taxicab industry, to reach into their own pocketbooks and meet the Gans challenge.

As reported here last week, only one owner, Charlie Frias, has donated to David's Fund. He gave a mere $1,000.

Among those who haven't given a dime, amazingly, is Nellis Cab, the company that employed Chitprasart, who drove a cab to support a Thai-language newspaper he published.

On the bright side, Yellow Checker Star Cab, one of the largest companies, has made a commitment to the fund, but it hasn't said how much it plans to donate.

Craig Harris, a Yellow Checker Star driver involved in the fundraising effort, says he doesn't understand why more companies haven't contributed.

"It's very disappointing" he says. "I guess the checks are in the mail."

Don't count on it, Craig.

The companies in the past have shown a shameful lack of compassion toward the drivers and their families. There's no reason to believe they will change their callous attitude now.

Chitprasart, a vocal advocate in his newspaper for more safety measures in taxis, died four days after being doused with gasoline and set on fire in an Aug. 20 robbery attempt.

His horrifying death ironically spurred regulators into ordering cameras in cabs to help deter crimes against drivers.

The fundraising campaign, meanwhile, presses on.

The drivers are holding a public benefit for David Chitprasart Tuesday night at Tommy Rocker's. For a $20 donation, those attending will have a chance to rub elbows with such Strip stars as Lance Burton and George Wallace.

And they will be able do what the leaders of the taxicab industry have failed to do -- give money to a worthwhile humanitarian cause.

Whatever the outcome of the Ted Binion murder retrial, at least one prosecutor in the case will be following the tradition of moving up to higher office.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Lalli has been tabbed to head the DA's Criminal Division, the largest division in the office with 92 lawyers.

Lalli will succeed Chuck Thompson, who is retiring in January and looking to become a part-time senior district judge.

You'll recall that Lalli's boss, David Roger, was elected district attorney after serving as a prosecutor in the first Binion trial.

Roger's co-prosecutor, David Wall, won a seat on the District Court bench.