Cabbies sign petition urging police police to solve slaying of comrade

Wednesday, March 9, 2005 | 8:58 a.m.

With the murder of a 39-year-old Western Cab driver still unsolved, Las Vegas cabbies have signed a petition urging Metro police to do everything possible to solve the crime.

The body of cab driver Aberga Yerga Asmamaw was found about 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 11 in his cab in a parking lot of a restaurant just yards from the Las Vegas Strip.

He was strangled with his own microphone cord, according to a coroner's report.

Another cabbie called police after noticing Asmamaw's cab parked at an odd angle behind Smith & Wollensky, a restaurant at 3767 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

There is no suspect in the case.

"There's been nothing since it happened," said Greg Bambic, who has helped 500 cab and limo drivers sign a petition urging more attention to the crime.

A Crime Stoppers reward of $2,000 has been offered for information leading to solving Asmamaw's murder. An enhanced reward of $20,000 is available for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the cabbie's killer.

"I compliment Metro (Police)," Bambic said. "They've caught a lot of bad guys."

Drivers supporting the petition also have expressed support for a harsher sentence against the 17-year-old suspect in a violent attack against Yellow Cab driver Sunny Kim. The cabbies are asking that he be tried as an adult and be charged with attempted murder.

Kim was attacked by a passenger with a knife on Feb. 28 after a man was picked up walking along a local road. Kim was stabbed 11 times, including two wounds to the throat, cuts to the back of the head, his back and abdomen.

Craig Harris, managing editor of "Trip Sheet," a magazine for taxi drivers, said that Kim was preparing to return to Korea to find his long-lost twin brother before the attack occurred.

"He is such a sweet guy," Harris said of Kim.

Las Vegas cab drivers are concerned about the escalation of violent attacks in recent years, Harris said.

"It used to be that you'd get popped in the jaw," Harris said. "Now you're getting cut."

Harris said that he has spoken to Kim and the cab driver does not believe he was the victim of a hate crime. Kim's money was not taken after the stabbing.

Local drivers are also watching legislation that mandates installing digital cameras -- "cabbiecams" -- in Southern Nevada taxis.

The regulation, which has been supported by taxi drivers for more than two years before the state Taxicab Authority got on board, received unfavorable comments by the ACLU concerning audio recording and privacy issues for both the public and drivers.

The state Legislative Counsel Bureau has recommended a redraft of the Taxicab Authority's proposed regulation, but has provided no guidelines.

Cab drivers and supporters are expected to gather at the Meskeram Restaurant, 252 Convention Center Drive, at 2 p.m. March 16.

In the meantime, anyone with information about the unsolved murder of Asmamaw should call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.