Lynn police officer requests board punish taxi driver

LYNN – A Tom’s Taxi driver picked the wrong guy to allegedly threaten when he verbally accosted the roommate of a Lynn police officer.Officer Joseph Chadbourne asked the City Council’s Licensing Committee Tuesday to consider suspending or revoking Joseph Bingham’s hack license after the man allegedly told Bingham’s roommate “I have a couple of buddies who will take care of you. I know where you live.”No one from Tom’s Taxi could be reached for comment.Chadbourne said his roommate was in the front yard of their Baker Street home when he saw a taxi back the wrong way down the one-way street. Chadbourne said his roommate yelled at the driver, telling him he was going to report him. At first the driver said he had a handicap fare who needed to use the facilities immediately but Chadbourne said soon after Bingham became belligerent.Chadbourne said his roommate then called him and he came immediately with lights and siren on.”I gave (Bingham) a written warning and then he started beefing with me,” he said. “He accused me of taking out my gun.”Chadbourne said at that point he took back the written warning and issued a $100 ticket for a one-way street violation.”He’s not being charged for the threats, but I am respectfully asking his hack license be revoked or suspended,” he told the Licensing Board.Ward 7 Councilor Richard Ford said he was shocked Bingham would talk back to the officer after he issued him a warning.Ward 2 Councilor William Trahant made a motion – which passed – to suspend Bingham’s license until the board could hold a hearing on the issue during its next meeting on April 24.Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].