Cops: Cabbie leaves accident scene, victim dragged

A Queens cabdriver left the scene of an accident in West Hempstead, then tried to stop the other driver from calling the police before dragging him from the back of his cab for two blocks, Nassau County police said.

Jeffrey Bernard, 36, of Jamaica, was driving a cab on Hempstead Gardens Drive at 8:45 a.m. Friday when he got into an accident with another vehicle, police said.

Bernard then left the scene, with the other driver, who is 18, following him, police said. Bernard pulled over on Linden Street, where the teen got out of his car and began calling police, police said.

Bernard then grabbed the phone out of the other man's hand and got back into his cab, according to police. The other driver then grabbed the back of the cab in an attempt to keep Bernard from leaving the scene, but Bernard drove away, dragging the driver for two blocks before he fell off, police said.

The other driver, who was not named by police, was treated at a hospital for an abrasion on his elbow and an injured leg, police said.

Bernard was arrested at 1:15 p.m. Saturday at his Jamaica home. He was charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree robbery, fourth-degree criminal mischief, leaving the scene of an accident with physical injury and leaving the scene of an accident without report.

He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Sunday at First District Court in Hempstead, and was held on $50,000 bail, according to court records.

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Police did not name the taxi company that employs Bernard.

With Laura Figueroa