A scar mere inches from his heart is Michael Nugent’s constant reminder of the harrowing night a passenger shot him and attempted to steal his cab.

Despite that experience 22 years ago, the 48-year-old taxi operator has not missed a beat and continues to ply the Half-Way-Tree to Papine route in St Andrew. However, having had a premonition that fateful night, Nugent told the Jamaica Observer that today, he trusts his gut.

“One night about 8 o’clock or somewhere there — dem time I used to run straight to August Town [St Andrew, from Half-Way-Tree] — I actually load the car and a loader man call me and say, ‘Boy, yuh car load enuh,’ and I went into the vehicle. As I went in there, mi spirit said something wrong and mi actually lick [hit] mi two hands on the steering wheel and say, ‘Jesus Christ, what is this?’” Nugent recounted.

Adding that he disregarded his intuition, Nugent told the Observer that he proceeded to drive to Papine. However, after getting to the location, Nugent said he told the two remaining passengers that that was his final stop. One of the passengers did not take the news well.

“He said to carry him down by UC [The University of the West Indies, originally University College of the West Indies] gate, and I said, ‘Sir, I actually load for Papine. I’m not going up any further.’ Same time I just feel a gun jook mi by mi head and he said, ‘Drive’,” the driver recalled.

By this time, the man holding the gun had pushed the other passenger out of the car. This prompted Nugent to start speeding towards the university’s gate.

“I went down by Irvine Hall gate at the roundabout. I didn’t even go round the roundabout; I stopped it [the car] straight and went onto campus. The vehicle lick under the barrier and I step out of the vehicle.

“While stepping out of the vehicle mi decide seh I not going to run, and I faced him with him gun. I was saying to myself I was trying to catch the gun by the hammer, because it was .38 [pistol]. I lift my hand and mek to grab the gun right between the hammer and me actually get lick (hit) right near me heart,” Nugent recounted, adding that, initially, students who were nearby did not believe he was injured.

He was assisted to the hospital.

“I went by the hospital. I was in the hospital for around three days… Him took away the car [but] police trace him and him crash the car, and I end up get it back. Mi nah do nothing stupid like that again. When mi get shot, it shook mi up, man,” Nugent confirmed, adding that the incident didn’t leave him with any lasting medical issues.

Despite this terrifying experience, Nugent said he will continue driving his taxi because it is his livelihood.