Eastie Dentist in Hot Water over Logan Airport Road Rage Incident

Longtime East Boston dentist Dr. Nicholas Franco landed himself in jail Friday morning after he allegedly lost his cool and allegedly punched an elderly cabbie at Logan Airport.

State Police from Logan’s Troop F arrested Franco, 66, who runs East Boston Dental Associates on Meridian Street, and charged him with assault and battery upon an elderly person over 60 or disabled person with injury.

The charges stem from an  incident Friday just before 9 a.m. at intersection of Jeffries Road at Transportation Way at Logan.

According to State Police, the 86-year-old victim, who later came forward to reporters and identified himself as Charles Touroyan, said Franco allegedly cut him off. Franco than allegedly stopped his gray Mercedes in front of Touroyan’s cab at a traffic light on Harborside Drive.

Touroyan told State Troopers Franco then allegedly exited his vehicle and walked over to Touroyan’s cab. Touroyan said he exited his vehicle and the two engaged in a verbal altercation, which allegedly led to Franco pulling the victims glasses off his face, pushing him to the ground and striking him in the torso. Franco then got back into his vehicle and left the scene.

“The guy came out and pushed me and hit me and I went down,” Touroyan told reporters after the attack. “I was shocked, I couldn’t get up. I tried to get up and couldn’t do it, and that’s all.”

Touroyan took down Franco’s license plate number and reported the incident to State Troopers who later tracked down Franco.

According to the State Trooper’s report, Franco told police he did grab Touroyan’s glasses but denied assaulting the cabbie. He said he did this so Touroyan could not see and would ‘leave him alone’.

Franco said when he tried to leave Touroyan charged at him so he pushed the cabbie away.

However, according to the State Police surveillance video supported Touroyan’s side of the story.

Touroyan was transported by Boston EMS to Mass. General Hospital for a medical evaluation after the incident and later returned to work.

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