Toowoomba taxi driver witnesses alleged assault of elderly man outside Grand Central Shopping Centre

A Toowoomba cabbie says he will ‘never be the same’ after witnessing the moment an elderly man was allegedly assaulted in the CBD this week.

The taxi driver who witnessed the moment an elderly man was allegedly assaulted in broad daylight in the Toowoomba CBD says he will “never be the same”.

The man, who did not wish to be named, was one of the first people at the scene outside Grand Central Shopping Centre on Margaret St on Monday afternoon where it is alleged 75-year-old Robert William Brown was shoved to the ground, causing him to go into cardiac arrest.

Mr Brown is now fighting for his life in Toowoomba Hospital.

Wilsonton 18-year-old Isaac Zane Cubby and two teenage boys were charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, among other offences.

The incident has sparked outrage across the city, with victims calling on the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to come to Toowoomba and address the issue.

The taxi driver said he rang triple-0 while another bystander, believed to be a nursing student, checked his vital signs.

He told The Chronicle the incident had left him shaken.

The crime scene at Grand Central Toowoomba after a 75-year-old was critically injured during an alleged robbery on February 6, 2023. Picture: Peta McEachern

“I just came around the corner and first thing I saw was someone run and push someone in the back,” the man said.

“It was horrifying, you can’t describe what you feel – my blood pressure must have gone up 100 units.

“I got onto triple-0 and while I was on the phone, a student nurse came and I was glad she did – she did what she could.

“I’ll never be the same after witnessing that.”

Police will allege Mr Cubby and two co-accused teens parked a stolen car in Dent St about 5.10pm before Mr Cubby exited the vehicle, ran up to Mr Brown and pushed him from behind, sending him falling forward.

Mr Brown landed headfirst on the Margaret St bitumen and suffered a critical head injury.

Police further allege that Mr Cubby stole Mr Brown’s backpack and ran back to the stolen Hyundai Tucson, before the group drove out on Margaret St and past Mr Brown as he lay unconscious on the road.

The experienced cabbie said crime in Toowoomba had steadily gotten worse, saying he refused to drive past midnight after being the victim of an assault by a passenger.

“I had to go to emergency — after that, I didn’t drive at night,” he said.

“That’s the sort of thing you’re faced with as a taxi driver, there are so many scumbags out there.

“Crime is out of control, it seems to be a lot worse here compared to our size of population – we’re paranoid now.”