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Wallaceburg cab driver assaulted on Walpole Island
A Wallaceburg cab driver is in critical condition, after being assaulted Saturday night on Walpole Island.
The Walpole First Nation Police with the assistance of the Lambton OPP are investigating an assault that occurred on Squirrel Island.
In the early morning hours yesterday, police say a cab driver was assaulted and sustained life threatening injuries.
He was located shortly after 7:00 am and police were contacted.
The cab driver was air lifted to London Health Sciences Centre where he remains in critical condition.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 with any information.
Tim
July 9, 2012 at 5:31 pm
What an absolute shame! How does a person(s) become so hardened and lack basic empathy for a fellow human being? Over any amount of money… let alone a measly cab fare. My goodness! I sure hope the police find the person(s) resposible for this senseless crime and they receive due punishment.
Thoughts and prayers for this man and his family.
Harry Blackbird
July 9, 2012 at 7:24 pm
The article doesn’t offer any particulars about the event except that the cabbie was injured, but that won’t stop many from jumping to conclusions. Perhaps the cabbie initiated the altercation. Perhaps the cabbie was a crackhead trying to score and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Perhaps the cabbie was doing something terrible and received the beating he deserved. Then again, perhaps none of this is true and we should all avoid jumping to conclusions.
mike goetz
July 10, 2012 at 5:14 am
Harry you have got to be kidding me,read again what you just wrote and then go visit the man in the hospital and say that to his face.Injured ha,air lifted to london with life threateneing injuries! I personally know the individual that was assalted and the accusations that you have made my friend are so far from the truth matbe you shouldn`t make accusations of a man trying to make a living! and by the way nobody deserves to get beaten like that and left for dead,and believe me my friend this is all very real!
Tim
July 10, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Seriously Harry?
Yeah… or maybe he came across an alien space craft preparing for their upcomming invasion and they didn’t want their cover blown.
Or it may have been the flying spaghetti monster… or a sasquatch…
Lisa
July 10, 2012 at 5:56 pm
Let me assure you Harry that this was in fact an “injury” which has put him in critical condition as of this hour in a London Hospital. Let me further assure you that he is not a crackhead, nor was it likely that he initiated anything that would deserve an attack such as this. Let me further assure you that he was a 70 year old retired family man whose only mistake was giving the wrong person (s) the benefit of the doubt with a simple cab ride which is a lesson he unfortunately has learned the hard way.
If anyone has any information, please contact the police or the tips hotline.
Lynne Hooper
July 10, 2012 at 7:12 pm
FYI HARRY, first off this man was 70 YEARS OLD, i’m sure he was not interested in initiating anything and everything you have posted couldn’t be further from the truth about him. I worked with this man for over 30 years in a factory, he was one of the hardest workers and most kind you could ever meet. He would do anything for any one!! He did NOT deserve what happened.
heyman
July 10, 2012 at 2:48 am
Tim, a person becomes so hardened like this because of a lack of God in their life. We see things like this happen every day on the news but it is always shocking to have it happen right here. Very sad that we treat each other like animals when we all have the “right and wrong” in our hearts. Prayers to the Chatel family.
Gabe
July 10, 2012 at 3:31 pm
People around here need to give their heads a shake or something and go get help, there is no need for that person(s) to be getting after a cab driver over any amount of money. This is really disrespectful,especially to an elder cab driver that is just taxing people around like really? SMARTEN UP PEOPLE. People need to be more respectful around here, I hope the guy is alright and pray for a good recovery. This is an absolute shame for the person(s) who have done this to that 75 year old man. TREAT PEOPLE HOW YOU WANT TO BE TREATED, KEEP THAT IN MIND.
Brian Horrobin
July 10, 2012 at 5:03 pm
I also know the Chatel family and am praying fervently for John’s recovery. It was a senseless crime, but I hope people do not begin painting all First Nations peoples with the same brush. John had many friends in the aboriginal community and this incident is not indicative of any of them.
Tim
July 11, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Well said Pastor Brian! I’m confident 99.999% of the Walpole Island community are as horrified as everyone else with this crime and other recent violent crimes on Walpole.
native girl
July 10, 2012 at 11:50 pm
MY thoughts and prayers go out to the family of john, he truly didnt deserve what happenend to him, no person does.My family knew john awhile from taking his cab,he always could get my kids to smile and he was always so polite and a very kind hearted man.My family are sending our strength for him to recovery from this most brutal attack and want him get better soon.Love from your native friends in the snye-sub.
Jeff Wesley
July 11, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Brian is absolutely correct in his comments and I join him in praying for John. I know John personally and he is the nicest, most down to earth person who is a threat to no one. Let’s do everything we can to support him and his family. I also have many close friends who reside on Walpole Island (we have been friends since high school)and this incident is not representative of the Walpole Island community. I have no doubt that the residents of Walpole Island are doing everything they can to assist the police in finding who is responsbile for this terrible crime.
Jeff.
Lisa
July 11, 2012 at 1:23 pm
I also agree with Brian and Jeff. I do not believe that anyone’s comments are reflective of placing the blame on the Aboriginal Community as a whole. They were simply in response to one person’s disrespectful and insensitive comments towards a good and gentle man fighting for his life.