Frankston Magistrates’ Court: Reji Philipose taken off road after hitting motorcyclist, put in two week coma
By day he was a Christian pastor spreading the word of God, but he had a side gig driving an Uber, which turned out to be the wrong career move after he smashed into a motorcyclist.
South East
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A pastor who previously worked as an Uber driver to top up his income has been fined and lost his licence after making an “error in judgement” which left a fellow road user in a coma for two weeks.
Reji Philipose, 56, appeared in the Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to one charge of careless driving.
The charge was originally of dangerous driving however, it was downgraded to careless driving.
On 22 July 2022 Philipose was driving in Clyde North when he went to turn onto Cranbourne Rd from Selandra Blvd, which is a left turn only intersection.
Police submitted Philipose disobeyed the left turn only and attempted to turn right, colliding with a motorcycle and causing the rider to fly across the road.
It was originally contested Philipose was trying to turn right, with the court hearing he was in fact trying to get into a slip lane to perform a legal U-turn however, the original summary was ultimately accepted.
The court heard the victim Rodger Munday’s life had been changed forever.
He sustained multiple spinal fractures, fractures to his pelvis, a fracture to his wrist, and nerve damage.
He spent 14 days in an induced coma at The Alfred and when he woke up he was confused and terrified.
“I only found solace in the fact that I was alive and I could hold my three children and tell them I love them,” Mr Munday said in his victim impact statement said.
The statement, read aloud in court, also said he could no longer see a future doing his favourite hobbies which were backpacking the world and riding his motorbike.
“I had a dream to visit as close to 100 countries as I could, that doesn’t seem possible anymore,” the statement said.
He said he can no longer walk around the shops with his daughter while she shops for clothes, and he can’t play footy or go dirt bike riding with his sons anymore.
The court heard Philipose was a Christian Pastor, who had studied theology all over the world and prior to Covid was working as an Uber driver to supplement his income.
Despite Philipose having no criminal or driving priors, Magistrate Charles Tan said he couldn’t help but be moved by the impact the crime had on the victim.
He said the justice system wasn’t there to serve as an eye for an eye system however, Philipose had committed an offence that arose out of an “error in judgement”.
Magistrate Tan ultimately convicted and fined Philipose $1800 and suspended his licence for six months.
