A cabbie who tried to grab a purse from four women who refused to pay his fare was beaten by a group of “good Samaritans” who mistakenly thought they were witnessing a robbery, cops said.
The driver, whose name was not released, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital early this morning where he was treated for cuts on his face, cops said.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. at Whitehall and Water streets, near the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, after the ladies, who’d been partying at a Midtown club called Bogart’s on Park, got in a fight with him over the fare, cops said.
They jumped from his car and the cabbie gave chase, grabbing at their purses, cops said.
That’s when another car arrived on the scene, and a group of wannabe heroes pounced on the driver, thinking the were witnessing a mugging.
The not-so-gallant group beat the driver to the ground as the ungrateful girls hopped on the ferry.
After the attack, the men fled the scene, and the wounded cabbie, bleeding from the face, called police.
He was able to describe the four fleet-footed females, who were picked up by cops as they disembarked from the boat in Staten Island.
They were questioned by cops this morning and given summonses for fare beating.
The driver couldn’t identify his attackers, who are still at large. It’s unclear if the wounds he sustained were the result of weapons or fists.