Cab driver arrested after street brawl in Manhattan

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - Police officers arrested a New York City cab driver for assaulting a couple and then ramming her car into their vehicle along with several others in Midtown Manhattan, the NYPD said. The driver has a history of issues.

The brawl happened at about 3:15 p.m. Thursday along West 35th Street. It was captured on video, first obtained by Fox 5 News.

The cabbie, Alyssa Jenna Mallett, 25, of Brooklyn, became enraged at a man and woman driving in a Nissan in front of her, police said. Mallet punched, kicked, and scratched the couple, who fought back, police said.

The video shows the cabbie and the couple punching and kicking each other as bystanders attempt to break up the brawl. Mallett the gets back in her yellow cab and the couple returns to their SUV, the video shows.

Mallett is then seen striking a UPS truck and the couple's SUV as they tried to block the cab. A bystander reaches into the cab driver's window attempting to stop Mallett. She then backs the cab into a parked car.

The couple had an 11-year-old girl and 2-week-old baby in the SUV with them, police said.

Police charged Mallett with reckless endangerment, assault, and criminal mischief.

Commissioner Meera Joshi of the Taxi and Limousine Commission said Mallet has had a TLC license for 14 months but already has a history of issues. Next Monday, she has a TLC hearing for allegedly refusing to pick up a passenger and has more hearings for allegedly overcharging passengers.

In June, Port Authority police arrested Mallet at LaGuardia Airport for allegedly hitting her passenger in the head with her cell phone, injuring the passenger.

Joshi said the TLC suspended her license after the LaGuardia arrest. But Mallet went to court and pled the charges into a dismissal so the TLC had to reinstate her license, the commissioner said.

But after Thursday's brawl, the TLC has suspended Mallet's license again. Joshi said she expects Mallet's licensed ultimately will be revoked.