It was a wild scene Wednesday night when two Italian tourists got into a dispute with a Beverly Hills cab driver over their fare. It all ended with a crunching crash into the front door of a Hollywood Hills home.
At about 8:30 p.m., police were dispatched to 7148 Woodrow Wilson Drive where they found a cab smashed into the front door of a home in the hills above Hollywood, just west of the Cahuenga Pass.
As the dust and debris settled, investigators took statements from all involved. The Italian honeymooners claimed the cab driver got lost in the hills and drove in circles. One of the tourists told the driver he needed GPS.
"It seemed like too much," the passenger said. "He took too much time to get from Beverly Hills to here. He got lost many times during the journey."
When the Italians finally arrived at their destination, an argument started over what was fair payment for the fare. The cabbie wanted $36 and the Italians thought $26 was appropriate.
The Italians paid $26, 10 bucks less than the cabbie thought he was owed, and jumped out of the taxi.
This is when things really take a turn.
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The driver left but moments later -- to the surprise of his passengers and the Hollywood Hills homeowner opening his front door to greet his European friends -- circled back with his cab. It smashed through the front of the home.
It's unclear whether the cabbie crashed the car on purpose or if it was an accident. One person suffered arm injuries.
The taxi driver was identified as Robert Kazaryan. He was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, a North Hollywood Station watch commander told City News Service.
Kazaryan, 45, was locked up in Van Nuys and his bail was set at $30,000, according to inmate records.
