Fort Myers man arrested for shooting up a taxicab

A Fort Myers man is facing five felony charges including two counts of felony assault, shooting into a vehicle and possession of drugs, following a shooting near downtown .

The Fort Myers Police Department stopped Calvin Powell, 29, around 3 a.m. on Sunday after a Blue Bird Taxi driver at a 7-Eleven at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near Evans Avenue flagged down officers, pointed to his shot-up cab and described the assailant.

The taxi driver told police there had been an instance of road rage and the male driver of a black Toyota Camry had shot the taxi multiple times. A passenger in the taxi at the time later told police he felt something pass by his legs during the shooting.

Police stopped car Powell was driving, which matched the description, at Marsh Avenue and Palm Beach Boulevard. A woman in the car, identified as Powell's girlfriend, was detained.

After Powell was stopped, police found a black and silver handgun in the waistband of his pants. The police report said that Powell informed FMPD officers that he had numerous felony convictions.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office arrest website confirmed that Powell has an extensive criminal record including arrests on firearms charges, strong-armed robbery charges and aggravated assault charges which date to 1999 when he was 12.

During a search of Powell's car police found numerous bags of a substance that tested positive for marijuana as well as a bag containing a white powder that tested positive for cocaine.

Powell remains in custody in Lee County jail on $151,500 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court May 31.

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