Coworkers grieve driver fatally shot in cab

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A cab driver in his 60s died after he was found with a gunshot wound on Jacksonville’s Northside on Saturday night.

Melvin Wright was found inside his yellow taxi cab, which crashed into a tree in the front yard of an abandoned home.

Fire rescue rushed Wright to UF Health, but he died from his injuries.

“It’s just sad to see something happen like this,” said Ali Williams, a Jacksonville cab driver. “It just don’t make any sense, I mean we’re out here for our families.”

It’s a lifestyle Williams has known for more than 10 years. Sunday he and other cab drivers came to Bloxham and Wakefield avenues see the place one of their coworkers was found with a bullet wound.

“My heart just dropped,” said Williams. “This is the third cab driver we’ve lost within two years.”

Police said they were called to the intersection around 10 p.m. Saturday after reports of a suspicious vehicle.

One neighbor said she saw Wright crash into the tree.

“You just seen the headlights and the truck, the car was a slanted position coming in this way,” said  Kelvassicia Frazier.

Frazier said the car wasn’t much damaged. He said he thinks Wright was shot somewhere else and then ended up in his neighborhood.

“We would have heard it if he had gotten shot right there,” said Frazier. “We got to get up out of here…you know. It’s not safe anywhere you go it seems like.”

As for Williams, he said he’s going to be more alert when working and hopes others will do the same.

“Your life more important than money but some of us try to stay out here to make a living. You know you got bills to pay, first of the month coming,” said Williams.

If you have any information on this crime, you're asked to contact the sheriff's office or Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.

You can remain anonymous and receive a possible reward of up to $3,000.

Cox Media Group