A taxi driver who claims that he ran out of fuel was allegedly attacked by a second taxi driver and that driver, Shannon Jarrett Young, is on bail for three charges. Young, a 41-year-old resident of Freetown Road in Belize City, was in court before Magistrate Emmerson Banner where he was read the charges of harm, aggravated assault, and damage to property. Young allegedly caused damages to a Toyota Sienna vehicle, property of Henry Uchenna Asoluka before attacking Asoluka on Tuesday, September 10, 2019.
According to the victim, he had just left a mechanic garage and was on his way home when he ran out of fuel. He says that he stopped in front of a group of five men who were socializing in the King’s Park area of Belize City. That is when he asked the men if he could borrow a gallon of gas but instead of getting help, he was attacked by one of the men. That man approached him with a screwdriver which he held to Asoluka’s chest but Asoluka, despite fearing for his life, remained calm and did not take to that man’s advances. He instead called a friend, who arrived about fifteen minutes later and went to a gas station to buy gas. When he returned, he noticed that the front passenger tire of his vehicle had been pierced where he left it. He says that he yelled at the same group of men and when one of them came toward him with a machete, he jumped into his vehicle and sped off. That is when one of his attackers, identified as Shannon Young, followed him. Young overtook him, forcing him to come to a stop on St. Joseph Street where Young, accompanied by two other men, flung a machete towards Asoluka’s vehicle. He broke a glass window and according to Asoluka, Young continued to jab toward him with the machete, forcing him to leave his vehicle. Regardless, the men pursued him but Asoluka managed to get help from the police, who took him back to his vehicle. He noticed that there was more damage on his vehicle including a broken windshield, dents to his bumper, and his three other tires were punctured.
Young was offered bail which he met. He is due back in court in October 2019.
