Spanish tourist jumps from moving car as driver flees airport police

Taoyuan, June 6 (CNA) A Spanish tourist jumped out of a moving car near Terminal 2 of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Thursday night, after the driver tried to flee from airport police, according to the Aviation Police Bureau (APB).

The incident happened at 10:36 p.m., when police spotted a private car suspected of picking up passengers illegally. The driver, surnamed Hsu (許), was known to work with unlicensed operators who solicit customers at the airport, violating local taxi regulations, APB official Lin Wei-shao (林威邵) said Friday.

Lin said that the man did not follow police instructions and only stopped driving after the passenger jumped out of the vehicle, hitting the ground and sustaining minor injuries to his arms.

Dash cam footage from a nearby vehicle showed a bag falling out of the car before the passenger hit the ground at the far end of a pedestrian crossing. Hsu then got out and was approached by a police officer.

Police issued Hsu NT$9,600 (US$321.15) in fines on the spot for running a red light, failing to stop at a crosswalk and ignoring police orders. He also faces a separate fine of up to NT$25 million for operating an illegal taxi business, and authorities may suspend his license and seize his vehicle registration, Lin said.

During the first five months of this year, police recorded 1,564 traffic violations and 98 civil aviation violations at the airport, Lin said.