THE DONEGAL ex-pat community in Western Australia is in shock after the death of a friend in a taxi incident.
A taxi driver is to face a court next month in Perth over the death of a a Co Down man earlier today when he fell from a moving cab.
Ryan Doyle, from Leitrim, outside Castlewellan, was killed following an incident on a road in Perth. He was well-known among the Irish community with several friends from Donegal posting tributes on social media sites today.
According to local media, Ryan died after falling from a vehicle in the early hours of Monday morning in the Belmont area.
He was taken to a hospital in Perth but was pronouned dead a short time later.
Police were called to Leake Street about 3am where the passenger, a 25-year-old man, was lying on the road with life threatening injuries.
After interviewing the 26-year-old Kenwick taxi driver, police this afternoon charged him with dangerous driving occasioning death, failing to stop and render assistance and failing to report.
It is believed the taxi driver had picked up the man and another man at Crown Casino, Burswood, and taken them the short journey to Belmont.
Police will allege there was a dispute between the victim and the driver over the fare.
The driver then allegedly accelerated as the man was exiting the taxi, causing the man to be knocked to the ground and receive fatal injuries.
Officers and forensic police attended the crash site today to piece together the events which led to the passenger’s death.
The taxi driver will appear in Perth Magistrates Court on December 18 and if convicted faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.
Mr Doyle was a keen GAA player for the local team in Leitrim and had gone to Australia two years ago to find work.
He was living in the country along with his two brothers Roland and Kevin.
Parish Priest Father Peter McNeill said he has just been to see the family in their home village.
“They are totally in shock, devastation and loss,” said the priest.
“The number of people who have been with them since this news came through has been huge, and we will be gathering in the local church tomorrow evening for a mass.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin are providing consular assistance to Mr Doyle’s family.
A memorial service will be held in the village for him on Tuesday evening.
It is expected to be a week before he will be repatriated to Ireland.
Sinn Fein councillor Paul Gribben, who knows the family, said: “It’s overall shock, right throughout the community.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family at this time and also to his two brothers who are out in Australia with Ryan at this minute in time.
“It was a big blow to the area.”
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