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Police: Alaska cab driver pepper-sprayed passenger, fired gun

Anchorage police say 63-year-old Hee Joong Chai was charged Saturday with felony assault and weapons misconduct

Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An Alaska cab driver has been charged with pepper-spraying a passenger and firing at least one shot into the ground during a dispute over an $11 fare.

Anchorage police say 63-year-old Hee Joong Chai was charged Saturday with felony assault and weapons misconduct.

Police spokeswoman Dani Miren tells the Anchorage Daily News that 50-year-old passenger Eric Stoneback rode with the driver but was carrying only $5 for an $11 fare.

Miren says Stoneback offered to get the rest of the money from his apartment. But Miren says the driver locked Stoneback in the cab and at some point pepper-sprayed him.

Miren says the passenger kicked out the cab’s passenger window, and Chai pulled out a gun and fired it once or twice.

Chai was arrested but released Saturday on $2,500 bail.

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