Police: Man punched, burned taxi driver

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Philadelphia man is facing assault charges after he allegedly burned a cab driver with a cigarette and beat him after being told he couldn’t smoke inside the taxi.

Twenty-one-year-old Justin Niezyporowicz was arraigned early Monday morning after police say he attacked a 53-year-old cab driver early Sunday morning.

Police say Niezyporowicz lit up a cigarette after being picked up around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. When the driver asked him to put it out, Niezyporowicz allegedly reached into the front seat and put it out on the cabbie’s face. Investigators say Niezyporowicz then got out of the cab and punched the driver several times.

Niezyporowicz is being held on $5,000 bail. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

Smoking is banned in Philadelphia cabs.