Illinois cabbie uses deodorant to disarm attacker

Fri Jul 3, 2009 12:36 AM EDT

us-news, odd-news, odd, cabbie, deodorant

SOUTH ELGIN — Police in suburban Chicago say a taxi driver who didn't have Mace handy when he was attacked by a knife-wielding passenger instead disarmed the man with a can of aerosol deodorant.

Elgin Deputy Police Chief Jeff Swoboda says the 51-year-old cabbie picked up the male passenger early Thursday outside a casino. Swoboda said the driver grew suspicious when the man offered several destinations, so he surreptitiously placed the small can of deodorant between his legs.

Shortly afterward, the passenger put a knife to the driver's neck and demanded money. The cabbie sprayed the deodorant in the man's eyes, causing him to drop the knife.

Swoboda says the man punched the driver before fleeing, but didn't seriously injure him.

Swoboda declined to identify the driver.

___

Information from: Daily Herald, http://www.dailyherald.com

3 Votes
Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.

Published to:

Associated Press's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: none
Regions: United States , Chicago

Public Discussion (3)

What's this?

Who's leading the conversation?

This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.

0.5