A San Francisco taxi driver who captured a mugger last year by pinning him with his cab has been sued by the street bandit.
Holden Charles Hollom and the Luxor Cab Co. are being sued for $5 million. The suit claims Hollom used ”excessive force” when he used the bumper of his cab to pin James McClure, 23, against a building wall after McClure had beaten a tourist, stolen her purse and tried to flee.
McClure, who pleaded guilty to robbery in the incident and is now serving an eight-year sentence in state prison, alleges that his leg was severely broken when Hollom cornered him on May 2, 1989.
”Basically, (Hollom) ended up crushing my client`s leg between the bumper and a concrete wall,” said James Rawlins, McClure`s attorney. ”The leg still has not healed and I don`t expect he`ll walk normally again.”
”It`s one thing being a public hero. The other side is the brutality against my client,” he said.
The defendants were stunned by the lawsuit.
”I`m certainly surprised,” said Hollom.
”I`m shocked,” said Mary Warner, Luxor vice president. ”I just believe that justice is where the public is protected against individuals like
(McClure).”
”Our driver has proven to be a good American man and the next thing you know a convict turns around and sues the company. We think it`s ridiculous.”