6 Dec 2008

Taxi driver slain

8:02 am on 6 December 2008

The body of a taxi driver remains at the scene of an attack in central Christchurch, where a large police cordon is in place.

The incident happened around 1am on Saturday.

The United Taxi can be seen half on the footpath on Worcester St, at the Barbadoes St intersection.

Its back passenger door is open and beside it is the body of a man.

What appear to be a knife and a cellphone are beside him on the ground.

Witnesses have told police they saw two people running away from the taxi.

The wife of United Taxi's general manager says the dead man was a "lovely family man".

Lynne Ellwood says it's a very hard day for the firm and all cabs are on stand-down out of respect for him.

Another taxi driver sustained serious stab wounds in an incident in Auckland a week ago, prompting calls for greater safety measures in the industry.

A man has been charged in connection with that incident and the taxi driver is recovering.