Two hours of terror - FARE FEAR

Sheldon Williams, Gleaner Writer

This is the second in Automotives' series on taxi drivers' experiences with criminals, where they have been in extreme danger and somehow made it through to tell the tale.

An unforgettable two-hour ordeal driving at gunpoint is how 37-year-old taxi operator Gregory Kerr describes his near-death experience on July 10, 2010. Kerr, also known as 'Rainbow' and 'Boysie', explained that the encounter left him with a parched throat, a battered and bruised side and uncontrollable tears as he thanked God for sparing his life.

The gunman approached Kerr's vehicle at the Papine and August Town stand in downtown Kingston at about 5:30 p.m. Kerr immediately refused the job, but the man was undeterred. He got into the front passenger seat and made his criminal intentions known.

"It was another taxi driver he came to kill, but because there was a lot of police there, him couldn't try anything, so he decided that he still had to pay for the gun he was using because it was a rental. So because the work was not accomplished, he still had to get money to pay for the gun," Kerr said.

The gunman forced Kerr to drive on several streets in downtown Kingston. As Kerr pondered how he could escape, at one point, he considered crashing the vehicle into a Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) building.

"On my way facing the JPS building on Church Street, I decided to run the car up into the building, but there was a lot of people there so I said, 'God, just cover me'. Anything him want to do to me, let him do it. Let him have him way but I leave everything to your will," Kerr said.

Realising that a police patrol vehicle was travelling behind him, Kerr tried to get their attention without the gunman realising, but his intentionally reckless driving did not attract the cops' attention.

possible drive-by

The abductor forced Kerr to drive on to North Street, then Church Street, Blake Road, then East Queen Street, going the wrong way on a one-way street. Kerr was then instructed to make a left turn into Southside. "Him have me back and forth until we reach Hanover Street near a place named Novelty's where dem sell books. He told me to stop and turn off the engine and he was looking underneath his cap like he was looking for somebody," Kerr explained.

"I heard when he cranked up the gun and I said 'Lord Jesus, I wonder if is drive-by this man going to drive-by', but it turned out that it did not happen that way and he told me to restart the engine and head up Hanover Street, where he told me to stop again and him start search up the car and ask me how much money I have," Kerr said. He immediately declared all the money he had - or so he thought, as he had forgotten that he had hidden some additional cash, which the gunman found.

"I told him that right now, I have only about $3,000 and when I took it out from the door pocket, I dropped some on the ground and him sey 'yow tek up that'. I took it up and give him and he asked if me sure me never have no more money and he kept digging up the car," Kerr said.

"Because I was so nervous, I forgot that I had $7,500 over the sun visor, so when he searched it, the money fell in my lap and he hit me with the gun in my side and cursed an expletive and said, 'Mi a tell him lie'. He then said I should lift out the floor mat because we taxi boy love carry money under we mat. I had just bought some silvers (coins). Him draw out the ashtray and throw out all the silvers in a plastic bag," Kerr continued.

The man went as far as taking his pen and air freshener. "I had some string air fresheners and two pens. One was writing and the other not writing. The one that wasn't writing he broke it up and threw it through the window and the one that was writing, he threw it in the bag," Kerr said.

"He said I must give him my cellphone and as him drop it in the bag, it rang so I asked him allow me to look if it was my wife calling and he said my wife wah know wha a gwaan. So he allowed me to look but it was a passenger calling. He then took out the chip and gave me and dropped the cellphone in the bag," Kerr said.

Kerr was ordered to start driving again, up Hanover Street on to North Street, then Wildman Street and Charles Street, where the gunman exited the taxi and ran off. Kerr said he immediately started to cry and told the Lord thanks repeatedly. "Mi bawl go straight home," Kerr admitted. Initially, his wife was furious, as she had tried calling him several times. It was then Kerr called a family gathering and shared his ordeal.

After the ordeal, he had to take a six-month break from the job. On returning, Kerr quit being an independent taxi operator and joined a taxi company with which he is still connected.

another close call

However, Kerr had a second close encounter. He was so eager to 'eat that food' after a call from the base that he went to the wrong location.

"The operator said UWI Scotia, but I just drove off without asking her if it was Scotia on the UWI campus or at the University Hospital. When I reached the University Hospital now I saw two guys; one of them was wearing a hoodie, so I couldn't see his face. So I took up the radio and said 'base, mi naw carry dem two bwoy yah enuh' and the operator asked where are you?" Kerr explained.

"The operator said 'no it's at the campus'. So when mi a drive off now, one of the boys them hold on to the lock and the lock broke of into his hand and I made an alarm to the securities and they held one of them," he said.

Kerr said he now works with a set clientele and is very particular about the jobs he accepts. And although he did not make a formal report, Kerr heard that thugs killed the gunman who robbed him downtown four days after the incident.