A livery cab driver who led a Panamanian family of four on a terrifying ride after picking them up at JFK International Airport has been sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation.
Bhupinder Singh, 38, of 1708 Himrod Street in Ridgewood pleaded guilty to first-degree unlawful imprisonment.
Singh’s trouble started on February 21, when he illegally offered arriving passengers at JFK Airport’s International Terminal his services as ground transportation for hire.
Port Authority Police Officer Dante Castro-Recio observed Singh escort the unsuspecting family into his Lincoln Town Car, and proceeded to block Singh’s vehicle with his unmarked police car. According to the charges, when Officer Castro-Recio stepped out of his vehicle and identified himself as a police officer, Singh locked the town car’s doors, put his vehicle in reverse, and sped away from the officer.
The livery driver fled the scene at great speed with police in close pursuit. When 17-year-old passenger Aldo Sosa became fearful he grabbed the steering wheel and pulled it to the right, causing the vehicle to crash into a guardrail. Sosa’s parents and brother, who were in the car with the crazed driver, suffered minor injuries in the crash.
Singh fled the vehicle on foot and was subdued after a brief pursuit and an attempt to resist arrest.
According to the district attorney’s office, Singh was driving an unregulated car without proper licensing or insurance. “Drivers like this continue to put passengers at serious risk.” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown went on to explain that more than 70 million passengers travel through JFK and LaGuardia Airports – many of whom are visitors from other states and countries and are unaware of ground transportation options when they arrive at the terminal. “Often,” he said, “these passengers are unfamiliar with New York prices and/or U.S. currency. As a result, they are charged exorbitant rates to be driven even the shortest of distances.”
Singh will be formally sentenced on June 4.
