Talib’s Cab Driver Talks Injuries, Payback & More
October 23rd, 2009
Last night, JoeBucsFan.com, drawing on its founders’ many years of reporting experience, tracked down David Duggan, the cab driver who was allegedly victimized by Aqib Talib.
More than six weeks after completing interviews with Bucs Torrie Cox and Angelo Crowell in the misdemeanor simple battery case against Talib, the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney filed charges against Talib late Thursday.
Talib is accused of striking Duggan in the head while the cabbie was driving and Talib was chilling out in the back seat with Cox. Crowell was in the front passenger seat.
The Tampa Tribune reported yesterday that the state contends there was no “rational justification for hitting the man,” and “there was no argument reported to us,” just an unprovoked belt by Talib to the head of an unsuspecting man.
Duggan has moved and changed his phone number since the incident. He said he’s happy the state is moving the case forward and he plans to sue Talib in civil court soon.
Duggan’s quotes below are believed to be Duggan’s only comments to the media since the hours following Talib’s arrest in August.
As a point of note, Duggan said he’s not a Bucs fan and doesn’t follow the NFL, and he doesn’t read JoeBucsFan.com.
“It’s about time,” Duggan said Thursday night.
“I feel good about everything. I’m looking forward to telling the judge what happened, that just all of a sudden this guy hit me in the back of the head while I’m driving down the highway at 70 miles per hour. It felt like a hammer.”
“This is the first time I’ve been a victim. The guy needs to pay, in [criminal] court and out of his pocket. You can’t go around hitting cab drivers.
“I only remember him hitting me once. I got like a concussion, fluid in one ear and blood in another. I’ve had headaches since then. …I’m unable to work. I’ve got injuries to my neck and I go to therapy twice a week.
“I gets me angry. You know, you give these young guys millions of dollars and they think they own the world. You can’t go around smashing people upside the head. They need to keep that play on the field. I don’t care what sport it is.
Duggan remains completely puzzled why Talib hit him. “He’s never apologized,” Duggan said. “I don’t know if the guy’s even sorry.
“I wasn’t talking in the cab and there was no radio on, just the dispatch radio. Nobody was really saying anything. And then I got hit in the back of the head. I thought I was getting robbed.
“I had no idea when I picked these guys up that they were Buccaneers. I don’t follow the team. If I did I never would have collected the $50 fare up front. I would have waited and hoped I got a $100 tip.
“Torrie Cox in the back seat, if he didn’t grab Talib he probably would have hit me again. I swerved, I’m just glad I wasn’t on the bridge [to Tampa]. Crowell sitting next to me put his arm up by my head like to protect me. And he yelled, ‘Hey man, what are you tyring to do, kill us?” Shit, Cox and Crowell didn’t want any part of Talib then, and then when the police got there.
“The guy needs to learn his lesson.”
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
I have no excuses for Talib and I think he needs to learn a lesson but as much as Duggan was definitely the victim his description of his injuries are beyond over the top. Fluid in one ear and blood in the other? C’mon Son. He is trying to get paid which is understandable but he should at least keep it within the bounds of reason.
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:02 am
I agree. Talib was wrong but this guy comes off like he is looking for a pay day. Talib should write him a check and send hime on his way. When they interviewed him after the fact he came off poorly. He seemed drunk or something. I hope Talib learns to keep his hands to himself too. I do have to say, I take cabs all over the US and Canada and I have never had to pay up front.
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:10 am
Joe here,
Regarding paying up front, Joe has to unfortunately say he’s had to pay up front in the New York area but only when the friends he was traveling with were black guys. It’s just an ugly commentary on society. There are a lot of cabbies who think right away that a young black passenger might ditch paying the fare.
Can’t say that was the case in the Talib situation. But would strongly suspect.
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:15 pm
This guy is a joke!! Only another lazy ass who does’nt want to work for his money! He contacted the Bucs what 2 days or so after this looking for money already. Fluid in one ear and blood in the other all from getting hit in the back of the head? LOL Damn, I’d hate to see what Talib could do really taking a good swing at someone? Talib call me bud, I think we can get you another pay day! (Boxing!!)
Either way, if Talib did hit the guy than yes he deserves to have to pay for what he did, but the courts need to keep this from getting out of hand!
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Based on Duggan’s quotes – he’s full of sh!t. Therapy twice a week, fluid, blood. Please dude, don’t insult us. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but details were sketchy then and they are sketchy now.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Talib cracks the guy in the head, unprovoked, his teamates obviouly told the cops what happened, or he wouldn’t have been charged. I don’t care how good he is, he’s a threat to society. Sounds to me as though he attacked the cabbie for no other reason than he was white. Talib is a great CB but he won’t be for long, this guys got reservations somehere else, just a matter of time.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
So two wrong make a right?
So just because this cabbie is a weasel it justifies Talib’s behavior?
Just remember if Talib hadn’t hit the guy in the first place this wouldn’t be an issue.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
to all that can’t comprehend paying a taxi up front;don’t show your stupidity!! you pay for gas, city bus, plane, train and therfore don’t be shocked if asked.If you heard the police being called to collect a fare or send the petty thief to jail then your little mind can figure that sometimes;it is best to ask for the fare in advance.hey joe,in my cab I will admit that proportionally I will ask young black males more often than other races, but there is no race left alone.go usf bulls ,and good luck to john gruden.all he needs is a strong general manager and scouting staff.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
behavior not justified… BUT i can’t imagine someone putting that good of a licking from the back seat of a car… especially someone talib’s size. no way he could have wound up, it would have been a quick jab if anything and on quick jab (unless your Bruce Lee) would not have inflicted anywhere close to this amount of damage. talib should be punished. this guy should should be paid FAIRLY for his inconveniences… like the initial doctor’s visit and the necessary follow-up treatment.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Cabbie may well be a weasel/candyass/crybaby/gold digger/fabricator–but he sure as hell didn’t thrust the back of his head into Talib’s fist.
This guy also took a poke at a fellow draftee at some sort of gathering as well as teammates in the past if memory serves.
Sorry guys but if some asshole with a previous record of simular actions does something like that to a cab driver it’s flat out going to cost him. I mean if he was offended by the cabby asking for money “up front”–(and don’t get me wrong-I think I would have been offended as well) he has the right to tell the driver to pound sand and call another cab. Waste that driver’s time and be sure to let him know the next guy’s getting a hundred dollar tip.
Like Lucky says-if he hadn’t hit the guy in the first place-he wouldn’t be in the situation…..and not like he got angry and hit him when he got in the cab–they were halfway from where they left to where they were going when he punched the dude.
The lesson here—-Sure I think the cab driver is a waste-of-skin low life bloodsucking leech—but he’s a waste-of-skin bloodsucking leech with a Willy Wonka Golden Ticket sitting in his hand right now.