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Jitney driver beaten, robbed at gunpoint, police say

Police are searching for the person who they say beat and robbed a jitney driver at gunpoint early Monday.

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Police said the 60-year-old driver picked up two men in the 7100 block of Monticello Street in Homewood and drove them to Oberlin Street, which is only about three minutes away. When they arrived on Oberlin, the men showed a firearm and demanded money, police said. The men punched the driver in the head, stole cash and took the key out of the car’s ignition, then ran away, police said.

The assailants are described as two black men in their mid-20s to mid-30s. They are both approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall and weigh between 200-220 pounds. Both were wearing dark clothing.

On Monday, police and a K-9 team worked the scene, looking for any evidence the attackers left behind.

Jitney driver Mel Williams, who's been running the Homewood service with seven drivers for 40 years, said it's a service the community needs.

"This is a service we provide because people have no other way of driving," Williams said.

Williams said he was not surprised to hear that a jitney driver from another service was beaten and robbed.

"We have a lot of drug-addicted people who will take money from people any way they can get it," Williams said.

Less than a year ago, one of Williams' drivers was attacked the same way.

"I had an 80-year-old driver that had the same situation. He had to quit driving. It doesn't surprise me," Williams said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.

 

Cox Media Group

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