SAN DIEGO -- Investigators are learning more about the taxi driver involved in the crash that left more than 30 people injured outside a Gaslamp District bar over the weekend.
Sam Hassan Daly, 52, was driving his cab late Friday night into early Saturday morning when he lost control of his car and plowed into patrons outside of Stingaree, a bar located on the corner of 6th and Island Avenues.
"It's premature to speculate on what, if any, charges may occur," said Lt. Rick O'Hanlon with San Diego Police Department. "Alcohol has been ruled out."
Daly's roommate, who did not wish to be identified, described the cab driver as a religious man of Egyptian descent.
The man said Daly was still hospitalized as of Monday afternoon.
"He is still being looked at for his injuries," the roommate said. "I guess he sustained a broken nose and some other minor injuries."
Daly is not married and without children according to his roommate who rents a room in a house owned by Daly in Clairemont Mesa, east of the 805 freeway.
Although authorities are treating this as an accident, the roommate said police came to Daly's house over the weekend.
"They searched the residence," the man said. "They served a search warrant, searched the residence, and collected some of his belongings."
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System is working with the county Sheriffs to regulate the taxicab industry in the San Diego area.
"I think right now there's a lot of speculation going on right now," said John Scott, a taxicab administration manager for San Diego MTS. "I think it would be best if we waited for police to conduct their investigation."
Some have speculated that Daly may have been overworked, tired, and possibly fell asleep at the wheel but the roommate said Daly did not work terribly long hours.
Daly drove his cab from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. on the weekends, according to the roommate.
While there are strict scheduling guidelines for trolley and train drivers, Scott said even if Daly had driven his cab all day and all night, there is little MTS can do to discipline tired cab drivers.
"Taxicab drivers currently do not have any regulations to the hours that they can drive," Scott said. "MTS is responsible for the issuance of the permits and monitoring the compliance of our rules and regulations."
Daly is said to have suffered a broken nose according to police but it is still being investigated as to whether he suffered the injury as a result of the crash or in the ensuing melee afterward.
Cell phone video shows Daly being pulled out of his cab by some people in the crowd. Daly was allegedly attacked after being pulled from the car.
Police are still investigating as to the exact reasons behind the crash.
Sam Hassan Daly, 52, was driving his cab late Friday night into early Saturday morning when he lost control of his car and plowed into patrons outside of Stingaree, a bar located on the corner of 6th and Island Avenues.
"It's premature to speculate on what, if any, charges may occur," said Lt. Rick O'Hanlon with San Diego Police Department. "Alcohol has been ruled out."
Daly's roommate, who did not wish to be identified, described the cab driver as a religious man of Egyptian descent.
The man said Daly was still hospitalized as of Monday afternoon.
"He is still being looked at for his injuries," the roommate said. "I guess he sustained a broken nose and some other minor injuries."
Daly is not married and without children according to his roommate who rents a room in a house owned by Daly in Clairemont Mesa, east of the 805 freeway.
Although authorities are treating this as an accident, the roommate said police came to Daly's house over the weekend.
"They searched the residence," the man said. "They served a search warrant, searched the residence, and collected some of his belongings."
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System is working with the county Sheriffs to regulate the taxicab industry in the San Diego area.
"I think right now there's a lot of speculation going on right now," said John Scott, a taxicab administration manager for San Diego MTS. "I think it would be best if we waited for police to conduct their investigation."
Some have speculated that Daly may have been overworked, tired, and possibly fell asleep at the wheel but the roommate said Daly did not work terribly long hours.
Daly drove his cab from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. on the weekends, according to the roommate.
While there are strict scheduling guidelines for trolley and train drivers, Scott said even if Daly had driven his cab all day and all night, there is little MTS can do to discipline tired cab drivers.
"Taxicab drivers currently do not have any regulations to the hours that they can drive," Scott said. "MTS is responsible for the issuance of the permits and monitoring the compliance of our rules and regulations."
Daly is said to have suffered a broken nose according to police but it is still being investigated as to whether he suffered the injury as a result of the crash or in the ensuing melee afterward.
Cell phone video shows Daly being pulled out of his cab by some people in the crowd. Daly was allegedly attacked after being pulled from the car.
Police are still investigating as to the exact reasons behind the crash.
