Michael McLean, Star Writer

Santa Cruz

Traffic came to a halt in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, last Thursday, when a taxi driver and a female Transport Authority inspector got into a fist fight on Coke Drive, metres away from the police station.

The incident reportedly took place after the inspector stopped the driver, Andrew Ricketts, for a spot check.

Police told THE STAR that at 9:30 a.m. the inspector, who works at the Transport Authority's Mandeville office, stopped the taxi driver. She reportedly asked him for the car documents, which he failed to produce.

It is alleged that the inspector ordered the driver to step out of his car, when he became boisterous and they got into a tussle. During the fight, the police say, the inspector punched the man and she was bitten on her ears.

The two were pulled apart and the police summoned. Following investigations, the Santa Cruz police took Ricketts into custody. He was later charged with assaulting a woman, indecent language, disorderly conduct, possession of an offensive weapon and breaches of the Road Traffic Act.

Ricketts was brought before the Santa Cruz Resident Magistrate's Court and received $30,000 bail. He is to return to court on October 27.