NORTH LAUDERDALE, FL- Violent crimes detectives with the Broward Sheriff’s Office are searching for the person they say threatened a taxi driver with a gun in the early morning hours of July 4th.

The crime unfolded at around 1:32 AM when the driver picked up a passenger calling himself ‘James’ in the 7800 block of Southwest 8th Street in North Lauderdale.

The driver explained that he required full payment before proceeding to the requested destination at which point ‘James’ became irate and demanded another cab.

He then pulled a gun on the driver and demanded to be taken back to where he’d been picked up from.

The driver, begging for his life, ended up hitting a parked car as they returned to the original location where the passenger got out of the cab and left the area without paying.

BSO is asking anyone with information on the gunman’s identity and whereabouts to contact Det. Lacey Fitzpatrick at 954-321-4328 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS