Story By: John Feng, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

Video Credit: AsiaWire

This is the moment a cabbie breaks an elderly street cleaner’s back by shoving her to the ground after she said he would never find a wife during an argument.

Zhou Meilan, aged 70, is now suing the taxi driver Mr Zhou, who has no relation to her despite sharing the same surname.

A CCTV camera in the city of Rugao in China’s eastern Jiangsu Province captured the quarrel between the pair which ended with Mr Zhou hitting the sanitation worker with her dustpan.

Pictures Credit: AsiaWire

The video shows the irate cabbie then shoving Meilan to the ground, causing her to hit her back and the back of her head on the pavement.

Meilan was diagnosed with a haematoma in the back of her head as well as a fracture of her 12th thoracic vertebra.

According to documents filed at Rugao People’s Court, Mr Zhou had been waiting for a passenger when the street cleaner approached to sweep the ground near his taxi.

Judge Bai Yuxiang said: “She found litter on the ground and appeared to accuse Mr Zhou of being uncivilised. This made him angry and he threatened to hit her if he continued speaking.

“The pair began arguing and Mr Zhou kicked the cleaner’s dustpan away. She then ridiculed him for still being single.”

It is unclear how exactly Meilan knew Mr Zhou was not married, but she struck a nerve when she allegedly said: “You’ll never find a wife.”

Judge Bai said Mr Zhou found the subject “sensitive” and lost his temper resulting in the poor woman suffering from the spinal fracture.

Following the incident, Mr Zhou has recognised his wrongdoing and offered to pay for Meilan’s medical expenses, the court says.

However, the lawsuit is ongoing, with the verdict to be announced at a later date.