Shaneen Robinson-Desjarlais
APTN National News
A woman who claimed she was assaulted and run over by a taxi driver in Winnipeg last December says she is still shaken by the incident.
In December, Skye Penner-Bear told APTN that she was thrown from a taxi and the driver then drove over her head.
Now, video obtained by APTN shows a slightly different story – but one where Penner-Bear still ends up on the road.
Penner-Bear claims an altercation between her and the cab driver happened in front of the Northern Hotel. After Penner-Bear and a couple of friends got into the cab, they were asked for the cash upfront to pay for the ride, she said.
“I pulled out all my money from my pocket and he grabbed it really aggressive,” said Penner-Bear. “Grabbed it all out of my hand and I tried to grab it back. We ended up getting in a scuffle and he ended up punching me in the face and then shoved me out of the cab.”
From there she said she ended up on the ground, with the cab driver running over her and then speeding off with her friends still in the vehicle.
APTN National News was given access to the video surveillance earlier this week which showed that Penner-Bear was not run over – but it was close.
The video shows her and her friends in the cab and signs of an altercation between the cab driver and Penner-Bear before she is left on the street and the cab sped off.
A couple of blocks down the road her friends were let out.
Penner-Bear seemed confused when questioned about being run over.
“Ya, that’s what I thought, cause it happened too fast and my head was hurt-so that’s what I thought (being run over) right away,” she said.
However, her support worker said regardless of whether or not she was run over, what happened was still wrong.
“It’s scary to see that that’s a reality that women face when they trust these men to drive them home,” said Erin Desjarlais.
The taxi company will not comment until the Manitoba Taxi Board finishes investigating the incident.
“Due to privacy reasons, the Taxicab Board cannot comment on a specific complaint or investigation. The outcome of an investigation is shared with the complainant and the driver.”
The Winnipeg police stated that they’re also investigating.
Penner-Bear wants the cab company and driver held accountable.
“There needs to be consequences like he didn’t handle it properly. I was still assaulted,” she said.
