WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — A taxi driver who was slashed across the face and shoulder Tuesday morning may never be able to smile normally again or gain full feeling in his face after the vicious attack.
The livery cabdriver, Jose Cabrera, 45, of Queens, said he picked up accused slasher Leolyn Rowe, 47, in Brooklyn shortly after getting the call from his company's dispatcher — and immediately knew something was off.
Rowe got into the black Lincoln Town car and didn't know how to explain where he was headed, Cabrera recounted. Instead, the passenger handed him a cellphone with a woman on the other end who told him to drop Rowe off at 1019 St. Nicholas Ave. in Washington Heights.
Cabrera knew it was a long trip but decided to take the fare because needed the money to help support his mother in Ecuador, as well as his brothers and sisters in Queens, he said.
“The fare was going to be $40 to $50," he said, "which would’ve been great."
As they approached the drop-off location, Cabrera said he realized the address didn’t exist and asked Rowe to call the woman back to provide the correct location. Rowe didn’t respond and instead mumbled something while ignoring his ringing phone, the driver said.
Cabrera said he then offered Rowe his phone so that he could get directions. When he went to pull out the device, Rowe held back his right shoulder and slashed him across the face from ear to chin.
"I didn't feel anything," Cabrera said, "until I felt the blood dripping on my chest."
While still inside the car, Rowe tried stabbing Cabrera again on the head and shoulder, ripping through his jacket, the cabbie explained. Cabrera then parked the car and jumped out, with Rowe still in the back seat.
Cabrera said he called for help and that the two struggled for a few minutes longer, until officers arrived at approximately 1:30 a.m. and arrested Rowe in front of 1988 Amsterdam Ave. He was arraigned Tuesday night on assault charges, officials said.
Cabrera, who was rushed to Harlem Hospital after the attack, said he required nearly 70 stitches from the attack, including 60 in his face.
The surgery to repair his face took almost three hours, and doctors told him that he might never fully recover feeling or function there, he said. He suffered nerve damage and may require future surgeries.
“I’m angry,” Cabrera said. “I can’t work and provide for my family now.”
Rowe, who was born in Jamaica, was held on $50,000 bail and was due back in court on Friday, authorities said. He has no prior arrests, according to the NYPD and city Department of Correction. His lawyer did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
The slashing came amid a series of similar attacks across the city.
The two most recent incidents occurred in Manhattan, when a restaurant busboy was slashed in the face by a teen in the Village Wednesday and another man outside a popular SoHo store was slashed in the face by a masked attacker Thursday, police said.
