Hull Cabbie to the Rescue

26/04/2010

Cab Direct customer Craig McDonagh and fellow cabbie Marian Dobre were praised after they managed to stop a troubled teenager from throwing herself off East Yorkshire’s Humber Bridge.

The incident took place after taxi driver Marian Dobre picked up the teenager in the early hours of the morning.  The girl first asked to be taken to Hull city centre.  However, she then changed her mind and asked the taxi driver to take her to the bridge, claiming a friend was waiting for her at the other side.

On arriving near the bridge the 17 year old jumped from the moving taxi and ran toward the bridge sobbing that she wanted to die. 

When he realised what was happening the alarmed taxi driver stopped his cab and chased after the girl, managing to grab her before she jumped over the crash barrier.

Struggle

Mr Dobre then struggled with the young girl, trying unsuccessfully to get her back to the safety of his taxi.  Thankfully, after about 10 minutes fellow private hire taxi driver Craig McDonagh arrived on the scene.

Craig explains: “I was taking some customers to the airport when I saw the taxi parked by the side of the bridge.  I could see that Mr Dobre was trying to stop the girl from reaching the railings but she was hysterical and doing all she could to escape.  When I arrived I dragged the girl away and we managed to calm her but she then made another bolt towards the edge.  In the end we had to force her into Mr Dobre’s taxi whilst we waited for the police to arrive.  She was distraught.”

Craig continues: “Ironically, I only bought my new taxi, Cab Direct’s Peugeot Eurobus, earlier in the year and wouldn’t have been headed to the airport otherwise as I wouldn’t have had enough space for the fare. 

Without us both there I think the girl would have made it to the railings.  I’m just glad we managed to stop her and hope she will be OK.”

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