Drunk passenger guilty of assaulting Brisbane taxi driver on Bruce Hwy
The Pine Rivers Magistrates Court heard the Burpengary man violently pulled the seatbelt up against the driver’s neck as he navigated a 100km/hr road.
North Lakes Times
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A drunk passenger copped a $500 fine for grabbing a Brisbane taxi driver’s seat belt and pulling it tight across his neck, endangering both of their lives as they sped along the Bruce Highway, the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court heard this week.
The trouble began when the cab driver picked up 37-year-old James Dean Hagel from the North Lakes Sports Club just after 10.30pm.
Hagel, who sat in the seat immediately behind the driver, was noticeably drunk as he argued about prepaying his fare and later, about the driver’s speed.
The court heard the driver nervously pointed towards the camera inside his vehicle and informed Hagel his actions were being recorded.
The comment seemed to aggravate Hagel more than subdue him.
According to the police prosecutor, Hagel tried to grab the camera, then rubbed the taxi driver on the top of his head, ignoring his pleas to stop.
“I’ve gone from being really nice to you, to you being a f*****g c***head,” Hagel said to the driver, as read out to the court by the prosecutor.
“You’re a piece of s***.”
Hagel then reached forward and grabbed the driver’s seat belt, pulling it tightly towards him and sharply into the driver’s neck and chest for approximately ten seconds.
The escalation of aggression forced the driver to pull over on the side of the Bruce Hwy and call police for assistance.
Hagel was arrested and charged with assault.
The court Hagel, the father of a young son, felt “terrible about his actions” and “didn’t recall assaulting (the driver)”.
Hagel pleaded guilty and Magistrate Trevor Morgan ordered him to pay a $500 fine.
No conviction was recorded.
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