Knife-wielding passengers slash cabbie, steal taxi in Monmouth County

🔪 Taxi driver slashed during late-night carjacking in Howell, police say.
🚕 Suspects fled with the cab, later found abandoned, as attackers remain on the run.
📞 Police seek tips as the injured driver recovers at Jersey Shore Medical Center.

HOWELL — A Monmouth County taxi driver is recovering at a hospital after being slashed in the face during a carjacking on Friday night, according to the Howell Police Department.

Late-night patrol finds injured cabbie bleeding on Old Tavern Road
On January 16, at around 11:15 p.m., an officer on patrol found a man in distress, and bleeding from the face on Old Tavern Road.

Police say knife attack happened during passenger drop-off in Howell
The victim, a 46-year-old taxi driver who works for an Asbury Park company, told the officer that as he was dropping off his two passengers in Howell. One of them slashed the cabbie in the face with a knife, then both of them took off in the cab, he said.

The cabbie ran away before an officer patrolling the area located him.

Suspects picked up in Neptune, taxi later found abandoned near Oak Glen Park
The two unidentified male passengers got into the taxi in Neptune and then were dropped off in a parking lot across from the entrance to Oak Glen Park on Preventorium Road. That’s when one of the men pulled out a knife, slashed the driver in the face, and stole the taxi, police said.

Police found the cab abandoned on Maxim Road but the passengers were gone and remain at large.

Howell police release suspect description, ask public for help
The suspects are described as Hispanic males between 18 and 24 years old. Both were wearing dark clothing and have dark hair, police said. They only spoke Spanish.

The injured victim was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center. He was treated for a cut on his face and is in stable condition.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Vincent Bonner at 732-938-4575, ext. 2647.