Man Accused of Stabbing Cab Driver in La Mesa Arrested

SAN DIEGO, CA: A man who allegedly attacked a taxi driver on an East County roadside last week after being ordered out of the victim's cab for behaving strangely was behind bars Wednesday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

Philip Lamar Christmas, 26, was arrested Tuesday at his San Diego workplace in connection with the alleged April 4 assault, according to police.

The dispute between the two men erupted after the cabbie noticed Christmas "acting strangely" in the back of the vehicle during a late-evening ride through La Mesa, LMPD Lt. Chad Bell said. The lieutenant did not specify the nature of the suspect's purportedly off-putting actions.

Growing uncomfortable, the driver pulled over in the 3800 block of Massachusetts Avenue and asked the passenger to get out. Christmas allegedly grew hostile, and both men stepped out of the car.

During an ensuing quarrel, Christmas allegedly pulled some type of cutting tool or weapon and slashed the cabbie on the chest, then fled.

Medics took the injured driver to a hospital for treatment of a non-life-threatening wound.

Christmas was booked into San Diego Central Jail. He was being held on $30,000 bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

—City News Service; Photo: Kumar's Edit via Flickr

***Updated at 3:51 p.m. Pacific Time; Originally published at 1:30 p.m. April 13, 2016