Werribee cabbie drives into passenger after Cranbourne route dispute

It started with a clash over the best way to Cranbourne. But when a “drunk and aggressive” passenger pulled the taxi’s handbrake and got out with the driver’s ID the “scared” Werribee cabbie took matters into his own hands.

A taxi driver who mounted a pavement and hit a “drunk and aggressive” passenger before driving away could be out of prison in a month.

Amenpreet Ratol, 33, was last week sentenced in the County Court to a minimum 15 months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury and failing to stop after an accident.

Ratol was working as a taxi driver about 2.30am on February 4, 2016 when he picked up four passengers for a fare to Cranbourne.

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An argument erupted between Ratol, from Werribee, and his passengers over the best way to get there.

Ratol pulled the cab over after one of the passengers, Trent Atkinson pulled the handbrake and got out of the taxi with the cabbie’s ID.

Ratol accelerated and turned the cab towards Mr Atkinson who was standing on a pavement about 2m away.

The rear wheels of the taxi clipped Mr Atkinson in the leg and shoulder, leaving the horse-racing track rider with serious injuries.

Ratol, who had been a cabbie for three years, drove away but handed himself in to police in Werribee about 90 minutes later.

In his victim impact statement, Mr Atkinson said he had a fear of taxis since the incident.

“Emotionally I suffer the fear of being depressed, stuck at home and constantly relying on others,” he said.

“Simply getting round as a pedestrian and fearing taxis is an everyday battle.”

Ratol said during an interview that he was “scared” after Mr Atkinson applied the handbrake and took his ID.

He said he drove off after hitting Mr Atkinson because “he was scared and did not know what to do”.

When sentencing, Judge Michael McInerney accepted Ratol’s lack of priors and his genuine remorse.

“It is obvious that the passengers had enjoyed a long night, and were impacted by alcohol, indeed there does not seem to be any dispute that they were intoxicated,” he said.

“I accept that the actions were spontaneous and an ill-judged panic reaction brought about by the issues of flight from a perceived threat from Mr Atkinson and his companion.”

Judge McInerney made it clear that Ratol’s offending was not deliberate.

“In an action which the prosecution accept was not deliberate, and I say this because it is important … an impression could be given from a viewing of the CCTV that the driving was deliberate,” he said.

Ratol was sentenced to a maximum two-and-a-half years behind bars.

He had spent 426 days in custody at the time of sentencing.

Judge McInerney also noted Ratol’s student visa had been cancelled.

“This conviction will mean that given the policy of the present government that he will almost certainly be returned home and I am told that that is in fact his wish,” he said.