Vic: Youth allegedly run down by taxi driver "drunk and abusive"

AAP General News (Australia)
08-28-2006
Vic: Youth allegedly run down by taxi driver "drunk and abusive"

The Melbourne Magistrates Court has been told a youth .. who died after a Melbourne
taxi driver allegedly ran him down .. had been abusive and had thrown beer bottles at
the cab.

17-year-old XAVIER SALMON had been drinking heavily and was involved in a slanging
match with Test cricketer SHANE WARNE .. before the taxi driven by RAJBINDER SINGH SHAHI
hit him in Port Melbourne last December.

SALMON and some of his friends had been passengers in the taxi before the incident.

The committal hearing of a murder charge against SHAHI has heard the driver left the
group after the fare was paid .. but returned to the scene after beer bottles were thrown
toward his cab as it drove away.

After stopping the cab .. SHAHI then allegedly accelerated at SALMON and two friends
.. striking him and causing fatal head injuries.

The court heard SHAHI left the scene without stopping.

He later reported the bottle-throwing and told police he might have hit a pedestrian
who'd stepped in front of the cab.





One of the youths at the scene .. JAMES FARDELL .. told the court he paid the fare
and advised SHAHI to drive away to avoid a confrontation.

Another member of the group .. JORDAN SEMMENS .. told the court SHAHI taunted SALMON
and SEMMENS as he initially drove away .. yelling that he'd kick their heads in.

One of the other passengers in the cab said SALMON was continually abusive toward SHAHI
during the taxi ride .. and his friends had tried to calm him down.

The court heard the altercation with WARNE began when the cricketer pulled up beside
the cab during the trip.

After one of the girls in the cab started chatting with him .. her friends began abusing
WARNE .. and threw lollipops at his car.

WARNE allegedly suggested to SHAHI that his passengers were out of line and he should
let them out of the cab.

WARNE won't be called to give evidence at the committal hearing .. which continues tomorrow.

AAP RTV mh/dk/ibw/wjf

KEYWORD: SHAHI (MELBOURNE)

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