Kings Cab, accused by Hanford city officials of “blatantly” violating city codes, must stop operating entirely within the city limits, city decision-makers determined Tuesday in upholding a permanent revocation of the company’s business permit.

The police department, which recommended the action, cited several misdeeds by the company, including allowing a convicted felon to drive its car against city policy -- one who allegedly ended up raping a customer while on the job in May and keeping on another convicted felon without proper authorization as a driver despite severe warnings.

The Lemoore-based private taxicab company admitted its wrongdoing, expressed regret and vowed to correct its hiring practices Tuesday.

But members of the City Council had little sympathy. Tuesday the council voted 4-0 to revoke the business permit issued to Kings Cab of Lemoore.

“Taxis have a very vital role in our community, but they also have a responsibility to provide the safe environment,” said City Councilwoman Sue Sorensen. “It’s important that we take this seriously. This is a big deal. We need to know that we can trust them and that they have the qualification to be a driver of a vehicle and treat their passengers with respect and deliver them where they need to be responsibly.”

The revocation of the permit is permanent.

However, council members were told by City Attorney Bob Dowd that the owner of Kings Cab will have a chance to seek another permit in the future if it can demonstrate its ability to comply with city policies.

With that assurance, Mayor David Ayers supported the revocation of the permit for Kings Cab.

Company owner Alfonso Sangerman declined to speak with The Sentinel.

But speaking for Sangerman, Cecelia Aguilera, manager, said the company will learn from its mistakes.

“We regretfully apologize for what happened. We want to give people the second chance. We never expected the outcome of what we did wrong,” Aguilera said. “We will try our best to come back and serve the community with good actions. We have a lot of clientele.”

Kings Cab is one of four taxicab companies operating within the city limits. The Lemoore-based company has been doing business in Hanford since April 2007 and operates four vehicles.

The business came under close police scrutiny on May 17, when Jamie Lopez, a parolee and driver for Kings Cab, was arrested for an alleged rape, Hanford Police Chief Carlos Mestas said. Lopez was transporting the victim in Hanford when he allegedly assaulted her.

Mestas said Lopez was driving the cab without a permit from the police department.

While investigating the case, the police also found out on May 21 that another driver working for Kings Cab, Christopher Taylor, was also an ex-con and was driving without police authorization.

Mestas said Sangerman was told not to allow Taylor to drive for his business, but Taylor apparently continued to collect fares in Hanford until early June, when he showed up to the Hanford Parole Office in a company vehicle. Taylor was later arrested for parole violations.

“Sangerman had a responsibility to abide by the terms of his business permit, which is there for the protection of the community,” Mestas said in his report to the city council. “Sangerman chose to blatantly ignore those requirements.”

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.