He got to ride in the front of a cab and the back of a police car — all on the same morning.
A Jamaica man was collared Sunday morning after harassing a pair of cabbies and threatening them with a machete after being dropped off in Ozone Park, NYPD sources said.
Police said the trouble began before 9:15 a.m., when a cab driver picked up Cloyd Clarke, 25, of Sutphin Boulevard at the corner of Liberty Avenue and 115th Street. Upon the taxi’s arrival, Clarke allegedly jumped into the front seat and got into an argument when the driver told him he could not ride in the front.
Clarke eventually left the vehicle, but not without allegedly taking the driver’s Samsung tablet and $50 in cash, authorities noted. The driver later realized his property was missing and notified his fellow cab drivers via radio.
Moments later, police said, Clarke called for and was picked up by another cab driver. The New York Post reported that Clarke again got into the cab’s front seat; the driver took him to his requested location, but reported a distress call via radio to other drivers.
The second driver brought Clarke to a home on 115th Street near 95th Avenue, where the first driver met up with Clarke and demanded his property. According to reports, Clarke went into the home, then exited moments later wielding a machete.
Officers from the 102nd Precinct, who were called to the location after receiving a 911 call about the dispute, managed to take Clarke into custody. The Post reported that an officer was hospitalized after suffering a cut to his hand in apprehending the suspect.
Authorities said the officers allegedly recovered from Clarke a plastic bag containing a yet-to-be identified controlled substance.
Clarke was charged with criminal trespass, menacing, petit larceny, aggravated harassment and criminal possession of a weapon, police said.
