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Man Charged In Detroit Slaying Of Cab Driver

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Authorities say a 39-year-old man has been charged with murder in a Detroit shooting that killed a cab driver and wounded a passenger.

The Wayne County prosecutor's office announced Wednesday that charges against William M. Heard of Detroit include open murder, assault, armed robbery and carjacking.

An arraignment for Heard was set for Wednesday afternoon in 36th District Court. The prosecutor's office says it didn't believe he had a lawyer on record yet.

Tyrone Hitchcock, 48, was killed early Jan. 3.

Police said he suspected shooter fled in the cab, which was found abandoned. Police say a 46-year-old Detroit woman was a passenger and was taken to a hospital. Her name wasn't released.

Cab drivers have been robbery targets recently in Detroit. One was killed in September and another was fatally shot in October.

The shooting came just hours before Mayor Dave Bing and interim Police Chief Chester Logan announced the city's 2012 crime statistics, which included the highest murder rate in nearly 20 years.

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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