Man charged with murder for alleged fatal blow to taxi driver
A man who allegedly punched a cabdriver in the head, knocking him to the ground and eventually killing him, has been charged with murder.
The driver, 53-year-old Eddy Nwanyanwu of Hawthorne, was in a business or shopping center in the 12800 block of South Prairie Avenue on Feb. 10 when “he became involved in a parking dispute with a female subject,” Hawthorne police said in a statement.
That woman at some point called a family member to the scene. Police believe that man is Cedric Dominic Staten, 28, of Gardena.
Video surveillance shows Staten approaching Nwanyanwu in the parking lot, “and without provocation, punch the victim in the head area at least once...knocking the victim to the ground,” police said.
In an earlier interview, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Holly Francisco said the incident occurred at 4:34 p.m., and it’s unclear what sparked the initial argument.
“We don’t know if it was a fight over a parking spot or what,” she said.
Staten, who was seen fleeing the scene, was arrested Feb. 13 and was charged with one count of murder on Feb. 18.
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