Cab Driver Loses License for Putting Lesbians in Jeopardy

A cab driver in Portland, Ore., has lost his license, and the company he worked for was fined $1,000 after he left a lesbian couple on the side of the highway in July, reports News Channel 8.

"He made homophobic remarks that were very hurtful to us. We did not want to be in his cab," Shankako Devoll told the media the day after the incident occurred. "I was holding [my partner's] hand and we kissed a couple of times in the back seat, minding our own business,'' Devoll said.

The City of Portland Regulatory Division said Wednesday that they would permanently revoke Ahmed Egal's license because he failed to safely get his passengers to their destination.

Devol and her partner, Kate Neal, told the news outlet that another cab driver picked them up but the women claim, Egal said something to the second cabdriver, which caused him to "eject [them] from his cab."

"Putting our lives in danger for something like that to me is unacceptable,'' said Neal. "We just wanted to get a safe cab ride home."

A police officer had to pick them up and take them from the interstate.

For his part, Egal said the women were being abusive. He claimed that he was forced to stop the car and call 911.

"These people are real, real drunk. And so mean," he said during the 911 call. "And I'm getting tired of it. They want to jump out of the car."

"The cab driver saw us being affectionate and took offense to that," said Neal. "We really didn't feel safe in the cab."

Investigators said Egal's behavior violated city code, and this is why they revoked his permit. Discrimination was not a factor in the decision.

"I would like to take this opportunity to say that Broadway Cab is fully committed to the concept and practice of non-discrimination, equal opportunity and diversity,'' said Raye Miles, president of the company, in a statement posted on the their Facebook page. "We take allegations of discrimination very seriously.''