Cab driver honoured for helping police arrest drunk driver

An Edmonton cab driver was honoured by Police Chief Rod Knecht Thursday night for helping officers apprehend a suspected drunk driver.

Ken Thomas was driving his taxi along Whyte Avenue just after midnight on June 14 when he narrowly missed getting hit by a Dodge Neon that crashed into parked car.

"Right in front of the Princess Theatre,” Thomas recalled. “I heard a bang and I looked in my mirror and there was a car on the side ...skidding down the road."

The driver abandoned the vehicle and hopped on a bus. Thomas called police and followed the bus to the Hub Mall at the University of Alberta.

Police were able to arrest a 20-year-old man who is facing charges of hit and run and impaired driving.

This is the second time Thomas helped police. On May 31, he followed another suspected drunk driver to the Southgate LRT station, allowing officers to make an arrest.

Thomas has worked on and off as a cab driver since the 1990s. He’s noticed an increase of drunk drivers on the road since he first started.

Despite his efforts to help, Thomas was still shocked to receive recognition from police.

He was visibly emotional as he spoke to reporters while clutching his new plaque.

"It'll go on my wall for sure,” he said.