Taxi driver rampages through Cologne, smashing into two groups of women

The first English language report I can find is from the Daily Mail who are repeating reports in the German press, particularly Bild

A taxi driver went on a rampage through Cologne’s old town, running over two groups of women before a hero managed to apprehend him.

The Jordanian, 44, from Velbert, reportedly raced his car down a street in North Rhine-Westphalia shortly after 10pm where he hit two women – aged 22 and 23 – head on.

He then sped on in his Volkswagen Passat towards the Rhine River where he hit two more women as a fifth woman managed to save herself by jumping to the side, BILD report.

German reports suggested the act was ‘deliberate’, and a 27-year-old woman has been left seriously injured.

A waiter, 34, from the brewery in front of where the crime took place – near to Alter Markt – was described as a ‘hero’ after he managed to detain the driver until the police arrived.

After the Jordanian driver exited his vehicle at Alter Markt, the waiter held the driver until police arrived.

It is said that a similar incident occurred in Essen around an hour earlier, where a pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries from a crash.  Cologne police are investigating whether it is the same driver as the one in Cologne.

Both cocaine and cannabis were found in the 44-year-old’s car after he was detained, and a blood test was ordered.

Bild adds that it was the same taxi; the police want to be certain it was the same driver. Also he has been sent for assessment to a psychiatric hospital. But of course.