Police: Tourist Takes Beating From Taxi Driver

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Miami-Dade Police are looking for a taxi driver accused of beating up his customer - a tourist visiting South Florida.

Investigators say the 29-year-old tourist who came to Miami from Denver, Colorado, walked out of a club in the area of N. Miami Avenue and NW 11th Street around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday.

That's when he spotted a Yellow Taxi Cab already parked in front of the club.

The tourist told police he was unfamiliar with addresses in Miami so he asked the driver to take him to the area near Zoo Miami.

As the taxi driver approached the area, the tourist recognized the apartment he was visiting and asked the driver to drop him off.

When the tourist pulled out his wallet to pay his $70 fare, the driver became irate, got out of the taxi and ran towards the tourist in an aggressive manner, police said.

That's when the tourist started running towards the apartment complex, screaming for help but the taxi driver caught up and tackled him, investigators say.

While on the ground, police say, the taxi driver put the tourist in a chokehold, beating him repeatedly.

Before leaving, the taxi driver reached into the tourist's pocket and took it along with $800, police said.

The tourist ended up with injuries to his face.

Meantime, authorities are trying to find the man responsible. They're asking anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.