A South Florida taxi cab driver caught in the middle of a suspect bank robber's crime spree recalls the frightening encounter.
George Alcius was ordered Thursday to pick up a customer from a hospital in Fort Lauderdale. What he didn't know was the customer's sinister plan.
The suspect asked to go to a bank. Alcius drove to a Bank of America, but the man said the bank was too big and that he wanted to go to a smaller bank.
The crook made another bizarre request. "He walked over there for two minutes very fast and said he want to go to Big Daddy's to get some kind of liquor, go to a motel and relax," explained Alcius. But, there was no time to relax.
As Alcius continued driving, police cars swarmed around the taxi cab. Officers had their guns drawn with sirens blaring on A1A in Fort Lauderdale. Traffic was brought to a standstill. Alcius was clueless to what was unfolding. "I said, did I run the red light or what happened?"
NBC 6 was the only news station there to capture the drama on camera. Officers used a speaker phone to make commands. "The cop give me order to put my hands out I put my hands out he doesn't do it. I said, why you don't put your hands out? When I look back I see the weapon close to my belly," recalled Alcius.
The man, wearing sunglasses in the back seat of the cab, leaned forward holding a knife to the driver. Police ordered the suspect to let Alcius go, but he refused.
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That's when Alcius took matters into his own hands. "I took my hand twisted up with his. We fought. I got the blade. I threw it out the window," said Alcius.
But, it didn't end there. Alcius said he punched the suspect and yelled, "You gonna let me out!"
Fortunately, Alcius bolted out of the cab as officers zeroed in on their man.
The suspect was apprehended and taken into federal custody. He is accused of robbing a PNC Bank in Fort Lauderdale. The FBI is investigating the case.
Alcius was not hurt during the scuffle. The veteran taxi driver says he hopes to never star in another thriller of a dangerous ride.
