POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a taxi driver had his face slashed in Mount Waverley on Sunday.

Police said the driver was in Derham Street about 9pm and that they believe he was involved in an altercation with two male youths.

Police said the driver was slashed before he fled the scene in his cab. The cab then crashed and injured a 19-year-old man.

Detective Sergeant Tom Arnot from Monash crime investigation unit said no one was in the cab with the driver at the time of the crash and they do not know if the 19 year old was involved in the attack or not.

Ambulance spokeswoman Susannah Wilson confirmed paramedics treated the 27-year-old taxi driver who had a deep cut in his right cheek.

‘‘Paramedics gave him some pain relief and bandaged his wound. He went to Box Hill hospital in a stable condition.’’

She also said the 19 year old was placed on a spine-board and another ambulance took him to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition.

Detective Sergeant Arnot said police were appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with information can contact him or Detective Senior Constable Chris Price at Monash CIU on 9567 8910.