Taxi Cab Driver Assaulted With Gas Station Squeegee In Norwalk, 3 Arrested: Police

NORWALK, CT — Three men are accused of assaulting a taxi cab driver at a Norwalk gas station late Thursday night, and one of the men is also accused of breaking part of a police vehicle and injuring an officer during his arrest, according to police.

In a news release, Police Lt. Tomasz Podgorski said officers were called to a Citgo gas station on Connecticut Avenue just before midnight after receiving a report of three people having assaulted a Norwalk taxi cab driver.

When officers arrived, they separated everyone and requested medical aid for the taxi driver, who suffered lacerations to the left side of his face after being punched and hit with a gas station squeegee, Podgorski said.

After further investigation, including speaking with witnesses and reviewing surveillance footage, officers found the three men refused to pay their cab fare, assaulted the driver and stole personal items from the cab that belonged to the driver, according to Podgorski.

As officers arrested the three men to be transported separately to a holding facility, one of the men, Lance Harris, 21, of Bronx, N.Y., began kicking the inside of the police cruiser and broke off a plastic partition piece, which he used to strike the window of the car, Podgorski said.

Officers struggled with Harris to remove the plastic piece from his grasp, and one officer suffered numerous abrasions to his forearm as Harris swung the piece around, according to Podgorski.

As Harris continued, he also spit on the outer vest carrier of another officer, Podgorski said.

Harris was eventually taken to a holding facility, where he had to be moved to several different cells after damaging two separate security cameras and ripping them from the ceilings of each cell, according to Podgorski.

Harris was charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer, interfering with a police officer, third-degree assault, first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree breach of peace. His bond was set at $50,000.

Christophe Bunting, 23, of Stamford, was charged with third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace. His bond was set at $10,000.

Cory Hampton, 19, of Long Island City, N.Y., was charged with third-degree assault, second-degree breach of peace and sixth-degree larceny. His bond was set at $20,000.

All three men are scheduled to appear in court next month, according to Podgorski.