A taxi driver struck a man in the head with a tire iron during a dispute over cab fare in San Francisco early this morning, a police spokesman said.

The attack was reported around 12:15 a.m. near Van Ness Avenue and Filbert Street.

The 25-year-old victim and a friend had gotten in the cab in the 2100 block of Chestnut Street in the Marina and were in the process of getting dropped off when an argument began over the fare, police spokesman Sgt. Daryl Fong said.

The cab driver then went to the back of his vehicle, took out a tire iron and struck the victim with it, causing a serious injury to his right eye, Fong said.

The victim was taken to San Francisco General Hospital to be treated for his wound, which is not considered life-threatening, Fong said.

After the attack, the cab driver got back into the car and drove away. He had not been found as of this afternoon, according to Fong.

The driver was described as an Asian man between 30 and 35 years old who is about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 150 pounds. He has brown eyes and short, spiky black hair and was wearing a dark-colored jacket, Fong said.

Anyone with information about the attack was encouraged to call the Police Department's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or send a tip by text message to TIP411.