PORTLAND, Maine — With stitches across his neck and a bandaged-up hand, a Portland taxi driver described a sudden, vicious attack by a passenger early Friday morning.
Joe Kamsyz said the knife came within a quarter inch of a major artery, which, if severed, would have killed him.
Justin Kristiansen entered no plea to one charge of elevated aggravated assault.
We’re told he’s a regular customer of 207 Taxi. Police don’t know what caused a routine ride to become violent, and neither does the man who was driving.
Despite the stitches in his neck and sling around his arm, Joe Kamsyz wants everyone to know he’s OK.
“All four fingers have a cut that’s probably all the way to the bone,” Kamsyz said.
The 60-year-old has been driving taxis for 10 years. Last Friday morning, he said he was taking a customer to a local strip club, when small talk came to a stop, and the man suddenly attacked him.
Kamsyz says he begged the man to stop, and in trying to thwart the attack, ended up grabbing the knife.
“I then accelerated the car, which caused him I guess to slide back and over, pulled into the parking lot, pulled in front of the club, opened door, hopped out said, ‘I’ve been cut and need help,’” Kamsyz said.
As bystanders rushed to help, police arrested 30-year-old Justin Kristiansen of Portland.
Kamsyz says he’s never worried about being a target, and he doesn’t plan to start now.
He’ll get back behind the wheel as soon as he’s able.
“I enjoy what I do. I like helping the public,” Kamsyz said. “Get to meet people from all over the world, and get people where they need to go.”
Kamsyz expects to undergo surgery on his hand Thursday, not sure yet whether he’ll regain full function.
Kristiansen is being held on $10,000 bail.