Bayview: Drunk taxi driver Harpeet Singh Sandhu sentenced for taking passenger on wild ride

A drunk Sydney cabbie, who knocked back a few Coronas on a Sunday afternoon, ended up taking his passenger on a wild ride. Here’s what happened when he faced court.

A taxi that crashed through three front gardens in Bayview Cl, Bayview, on March 10, after a driver, who blew 0.169, lost control of the vehicle after drinking with friends. Picture: 9News

A partying cabbie downed a few Mexican beers with his mates before getting behind the wheel of his taxi and smashing through the front gardens of three Northern Beaches’ homes.

One of the drunk driver’s friends was in the front passenger seat of the Manly Cabs “executive” taxi when it left the road at the corner of Bayview Pl and Kamilaroi Rd on Sunday, March 10.

Now Harpeet Singh Sandhu, 26, of Dee Why – who blew three times over the limit – has six months off the road to think about his actions.

Manly Local Court heard that Sandhu was at the controls of the cab when it speared off the road at about 55km/h before it “careened” across the front yard — tearing up the lawn — at 23 Bayview Pl at about 5.50pm.

The driver of a taxi that crashed through three front gardens at Bayview while he was three times over the limit, has been banned from driving his cab, and other vehicle, for six months. Picture: 9News

The Toyota Camry then continued on its path of destruction, slicing through the shrubbery in the front garden of number 21.

It finally came to rest after it smashed through the wooden fence and plants dividing the gardens of numbers 21 and 19. No one was injured.

Sandhu pleaded guilty to one count of high range drink driving.

The court heard that he blew 0.169 a Mona Vale police station.

In a facts sheet tendered to court, police stated that Sandhu told officers he had been drinking at a friend’s home that afternoon and was driving a mate home when the incident occurred.

Sandhu said he had downed three bottles of Corona beer between 4pm and 4.30pm.

The front gardens in Bayview Pl, Bayview, which an out of control taxi careened through on March 10 with a drunk driver behind the wheel. Picture: Google Maps

Police stated that he was driving at 55km/h when he tried to take the bend leading from Kamilaroi Rd into Bayview Pl.

Residents called the police and when officers arrived, they found Sandhu with “watery, bloodshot eyes” and smelling of alcohol.

Magistrate Ian Guy disqualified Sandhu’s licence for six months and hit him with a $1500 fine.

He was also handed a Community Correction Order to be of good behaviour for 12 months.