Saturday night, 11/17/12, Captain Mark Gutierrez and the interim taxi cab inspector, Keith Langford, conducted spot inspections on taxi cabs, limousines, and party buses. These inspections were based on some recent complaints that drivers and companies were operating within our city without proper permits. As a result of the inspections, 8 taxi cabs representing 4 taxi companies were contacted. All of them were found to be in compliance.

They also contacted 3 party buses and found all of them to be in compliance as well. Of 3 limousines representing 2 different companies that were contacted, 2 were found to be operating with an un-permitted driver as required by city ordinance. Both of these 2 limos were carrying passengers when contacted. Both drivers were given citations for operating a limo w/o a permit, city ordinance 57-166e, and they were not allowed to continue driving.

Alternate arrangements were made for the passengers to continue on in the limousines by having either another company come to assist or having a permitted driver respond to the scene to continue on. Both limousine companies are under investigation for allowing un-permitted drivers to operate which is also a violation of city ordinance. The taxi inspector’s office will continue to go out and conduct spot inspections at night and on the weekends to ensure that all companies are in compliance with law.

Occurred on 10/30/12, 5:49pm  Accident  1100 Green Earth   C1208270

A three-year-old looking forward to an ice cream treat suffered minor injuries when she collided with a moving car.  Officers were told the child was purchasing a frozen dessert from the ice cream truck parked in the 1100 block of Green Earth.

With ice cream in hand the little girl darted across the street and ran into the passenger side of a moving white Ford F250 pick-up truck.  The young child was taken to Driscoll Children’s Hospital for medical evaluation.  The traffic investigation is ongoing and the 60-year-old driver was not cited.

The Corpus Christi Police Department along with Safe Kids USA suggests that you show your child how to be a safe pedestrian by setting a good example when crossing the street and following these safety tips:

• Cross Streets at a corner.  Use signals and crosswalks when they are there.
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Look left, right and left again before crossing.  Keep looking as you cross.
• Walk across streets.  Don’t run.
• Walk on sidewalks or paths.  If there are no sidewalks, face traffic and stay left.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up.
• Never allow kids under age 10 to cross streets alone.
• Make sure kids play in safe places like yards, park and playgrounds. Kids should never play in the street.
• Hold kids’ hands in parking lots and while crossing the street.