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Man threatened cabdriver with sword, deputies say

The Holiday resident is accused of pulling the weapon after the driver complained of being cheated on the fare.

By EMILY VASQUEZ
Published August 4, 2005

HOLIDAY - A 29-year-old man stiffed a cab driver on his fare then returned to the car brandishing a medieval-style sword early Wednesday morning, Pasco County sheriff's deputies said.

The driver took one look at the 4-foot steel-blade sword and called 911.

"It was obvious it was real. He was scraping it at the sidewalk," 35-year-old Lee Holland of Pinellas Yellow Cab told the Times. "He was swinging it around in loops, from side to side, like a figure eight."

Holland had picked up the man, James Lawrence Redford of 1237 Maybury St. from a Palm Harbor bar at 12:18 a.m. A bartender or the bar owner put Redford in the cab, Holland said.

On the way to Redford's residence in Holiday he seemed upset, Holland said. Redford started beating his legs in the back seat, Holland said, then he'd stop and apologize, explaining he was upset over a woman. Holland just stayed quiet, he said.

But when they arrived at the residence and Redford only handed over $3 on a $14.75 fare, Holland said he had to say something.

"I told him he owed me a little bit of money," Holland said.

But Redford didn't pay. And when he walked into his house, Holland started calling information to get the number for the local police to report the nonpayment, he said.

That's when Redford came out with the sword.

"He stepped up to the cab and pulled it back like he was going to plunge it into my window," Holland said.

Holland said he threw the cab in gear and drove forward to dodge the sword. Then he said he reversed so he'd have Redford in view, and Redford lunged at the cab again.

"He wanted me to get out of the car. He kept saying "come on, come on,' " Holland said.

But Holland just sat there until deputies arrived.

Redford went back to the porch and stood in his doorway with the sword resting over his shoulders, Holland said, his arms over each end of it.

Deputies said Redford told them he is a sword collector. The one he threatened Holland with, deputies said, was a "fully-functional" sword. He admitted he swung the sword at Holland, deputies said.

Redford, who has two DUI convictions in Florida, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and taken to Land O'Lakes jail.

His attorney, Joseph Hobson, said Redford now says he's not guilty.

Holland, who started driving for the company about three weeks ago, got back on the road Wednesday for his afternoon shift.

Emily Vasquez can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6232 or toll-free at 800-333-7505, ext. 6232. Her e-mail address is evasquez@sptimes.com

[Last modified August 4, 2005, 01:05:20]