Woman recounts events that led to her being dragged by Winnipeg taxi last week

The woman seen being dragged by a Winnipeg taxi in a video posted on social media last week is shedding more light on what happened that morning.  

The incident was recorded by her friend and posted on social media Oct. 13. 

A 51-year-old cab driver is now facing multiple charges including extortion and dangerous operation of a vehicle. Winnipeg police couldn't confirm whether the charges are linked to incident in the video.  

Carrie Hill told CBC News she realized she'd left her cell phone in a cab that had dropped her off at a friend's place that morning. 

Hill said she called her phone and the cab driver picked up. She said he asked for money to return the phone. 

Hill said she had $4. But when the cab driver showed up, he wanted more, she said. 

"He demanded 50 bucks from me," said Hill. "I'm, like, '50 bucks, I don't even have that.'"

According to Hill, she saw her phone inside the cab. She said she asked why the driver couldn't hand it to her, telling him he couldn't charge for returning her personal belongings.

"That's when he got mad and he drove off," said Hill. 

In the video, Hill can be seen reaching into the cab and the car driving away with her hanging onto the side of the door. 

"He went like 60 miles an hour on Boyd … and then he turned and then that's when I like, like, went flying off," she said. 

Winnipeg police said in a news release last week that officers responded to a report of an assault in the St. John's neighbourhood Wednesday morning. 

Police said a 23-year-old woman told officers she'd left her cell phone in a taxi and the driver asked for money to return it. When she tried to get her phone, he drove off and she was dragged by the cab, police said. 

According to police the driver was arrested and faces charges of extortion and dangerous operation of a conveyance/vehicle. The driver also faces two charges under the Highway Traffic Act: driving carelessly and failure to exercise due care for a pedestrian, the news release said. 

The 51-year-old man has been released on an undertaking, police said.

This is the second time this month a Winnipeg cab driver has been arrested involving an incident with a passenger. On Oct. 6, Winnipeg police announced another taxi driver was facing charges after a woman reported she was assaulted and locked inside a cab. 

The incidents drove people to gather at two rallies in Winnipeg over the weekend in support of Indigenous women and to raise awareness about the two violent encounters involving cab drivers and their passengers.  

Hill said this isn't the first time she's had troubling encounters with taxi drivers. 

Her knee was injured by what happened last Wednesday, she said. 

In a statement last Thursday, Duffy's Taxi said it had suspended the driver after reviewing video of the incident. 

"We take very seriously issues related to passenger safety," the statement said. "In addition to the suspension we have put out a bulletin to all drivers to remind them of appropriate response and the need to ensure safe driving practices at all time no matter what the circumstances."

Grant Heather, the manager of vehicles for hire for the City of Winnipeg, said an enforcement team is also investigating what happened. 

Heather told CBC News that complaints should be reported to the city through 311 or online even if they've already filed a police report.