Germany: Taxi Driver Goes on Rampage in Cologne

On Monday night, a Jordanian taxi driver in the German city of Cologne went on a rampage, driving his taxi at several women and hitting several. He apparently ran down a woman pedestrian in the nearby city of Essen one hour earlier. He was chased down by a waiter in a restaurant who witnessed one of the incidents and held him until police arrived.  It appears he was deliberately targeting women. Police say they don’t yet know the motive, but I’m sure they will eventually figure it out.

This article in Bild is translated by Fousesquawk.

Several injured in driving rampage in Cologne-Taxi driver apparently deliberately runs down women

Caption: The taxi driver knocked down several pedestrians in the Cologne Old Town. In front of this brew house, he hit a woman-one of the waiters followed him

Photo: Christian Knieps

Cologne-What an unbelievable driving rampage

On Monday evening in the Cologne Old Town, a Jordanian (44) deliberately ran down several women, and some of them were seriously injured. 

According to witnesses, the taxi driver from Velbert (North Rhine-Westphalia) raced his car shortly after 10 pm in the Kleine Budengasse (Little Buden Alley)- there he hit two women (22,23) head-on who were heading to the Old Market.

But that did not stop the man’s rampage. Then he raced his VW Passat further in the direction of the Rhine, and there he (drove at) three other women. He hit two of them, (and) one woman was able to jump to the side.

What is striking about the rampage: The Jordanian apparently was targeting only women. According to initial investigations and evaluations of video material from surveillance cameras, the 44-year-old deliberately drove toward his victims and hit the gas before impact. The police commission for rampage crimes has taken over the investigation. As yet, the motive of the taxi driver is not exactly clear.

Waiter is a hero

A waiter (34) at the brew house, in front of whom the crime occurred, was a brave hero. The police report: “On foot, he took chase.” In doing so, he put himself in great danger: At the “Grossen Neugasse” (street), the taxi drove at him-the driver drove out him without braking.

Despite a leap to the side, an outside mirror struck him on the upper body. Finally, the waiter managed to hold the driver, who had gotten out of the vehicle at the Alter Markt (Old Market) until the arrival of the police.

 Taxi rammed a woman one hour earlier in Essen

The man’s rampage probably began an hour earlier. Around 9 pm, the same taxi hit a woman (50) while making a right turn in Essen. The pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries. “This matter has also been taken over by police in Cologne. Whether it is the same driver is still under police investigation,” according to a report. 

Since the man was suspected to be under the influence of cocaine and cannabis, and cocaine was found in the auto, police ordered a blood test. After a medical examination, the emergency doctor referred the accused detainee to a psychiatric clinic.

The police are asking witnesses to the incidents to report to the police: 0221/2290.