Spanish Taxi Driver Punches Drunk Irish Tourist For Burping In His Car, Arrested

A 51-year-old taxi driver in Fuengirola, Spain, was arrested on charges of assault after allegedly attacking a 65-year-old Irish tourist for burping in his cab. According to Metro, the incident occurred on February 23, after the driver picked up two reportedly intoxicated Irish tourists near a hotel on the seafront promenade running through Fuengirola called Paseo Maritimo Rey de Espana.

When one of the passengers began burping in the vehicle, the driver pulled over and ordered them out of the car.

As the victim exited the cab, the driver allegedly punched him, causing him to fall and strike his head on the curb. The Policia Nacional and paramedics went to the scene and found one of the Irish nationals with a bloody nose and a large head wound.

He was initially treated at the Las Lagunas de Mijas Health Centre before being transferred to the Costa del Sol Hospital due to the severity of his head and face injuries. The second tourist was unharmed in the incident. 

The Policía Nacional subsequently arrested the driver on a charge of assault. The suspect, who has not been named, has been released on bail and is cooperating with authorities.

This isn't an isolated incident. Last November, another driver in Fuengirola was arrested for allegedly dragging a tourist along the road after a dispute over a fare. According to sources cited by SUR, the incident took place on November 17, when police were called to a hotel in a Costa del Sol town over a reported dispute between a taxi driver and a tourist regarding the fare.

The disagreement reportedly began when the tourist reached his destination and discovered the fare was double the amount initially quoted by the driver. According to the National Police investigation, after the passenger exited the vehicle and moved to retrieve his luggage from the trunk, the taxi driver allegedly attempted to drive away.

The tourist then stepped in front of the taxi in an effort to recover his suitcase while the driver tried to maneuver around him and continue driving. In an attempt to stop the vehicle from leaving with his belongings, the passenger grabbed the door handle. It was at that point, investigators allege, that the driver accelerated, dragging the man and causing his injuries.

Emergency health services were also dispatched to the scene. The injured tourist was treated before being transported to Costa del Sol Hospital, where he required stitches for a significant head wound, sources said. Malaga provincial police confirmed the victim suffered a cranioencephalic trauma but did not lose consciousness. The 60-year-old taxi driver was subsequently arrested by officers.