DETROIT – Garrett Morse told Local 4 News that he has video security contracts all around metro Detroit. He said he was troubleshooting an issue with one of his clients when he saw something on that client's surveillance recording that made him do a double take.
"He pulls into the alley, hops out of his van and proceeds to use the bathroom," said Morse, who owns Aesis Low Voltage Installation.
In the surveillance video, a taxi cab driver is seen pulling into the Keep It Clean Car Wash at Chicago and Marlowe on Detroit's west side.
It was about 6 a.m. Sunday. The cabbie got out, toilet paper in hand, walks around to the front of the van and you don't want to see the pile of mess he leaves behind.
Local 4 News wanted to show that video to the cab company it appears that the man in the video works for, but we couldn't get anyone from the company to take a look.
Late Thursday, Checker Cab released a statement to Local 4 News, saying, "Checker Cab vehicles are independently owned and the drivers are independent contractors licensed to operate by the city of Detroit and are not employed by the Checker Cab Company. At this time Checker Cab has not been contacted by the authorities regarding any alleged illegal activity. We urge WDIV to provide the video to the local authorities so that they can properly investigate the alleged activity and take the appropriate action. Checker Cab has a strong relationship with the Detroit Police Department and will fully cooperate and work diligently to help DPD in this investigation."
Since cab companies are regulated by the city, Local 4 News showed the video to Councilman George Cushingberry Jr. He said he's abhorred at the taxi driver who should be an ambassador for Detroit, but instead takes a dump on the city at a time when so many are trying to clean it up.
"The council has spent almost nine months rewriting the vehicle for hire ordinance and the new ordinance to deal with Uber and Lyft. I'm abhorred at that kind of conduct. I hope the company deals with him because we can't afford to have that kind of activity as our ambassadors for Detroit," Cushingberry said.
Local 4 News did contact Detroit police about the matter. They said if this person had been caught in the act, he could have faced a misdemeanor charge of indecent exposure.