A taxi driver in Western Australia has been charged in relation to the death of an Irish man in Perth early yesterday morning.
Ryan Martin Doyle, who was 25 and from Co Down, was found lying on the road with critical injuries in the Belmont area of the city at about 3am local time (7pm Irish time).
Police said Mr Doyle had been a passenger in a taxi, and that there was an allegation of a dispute over the fare.
It is believed that as Mr Doyle was getting out of the car the driver accelerated, causing him to fall to the ground.
Mr Doyle was taken to Royal Perth Hospital, where he later died of his injuries.
The taxi driver, a 26-year-old man from Kenwick, has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, failing to stop and render assistance, and failing to report.
He is due to appear in Perth Magistrates' Court on December 18th.
Parish Priest Fr Peter McNeill said Mr Doyle's family "are totally in shock, devastation and loss".
"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 for a Mass," he told UTV news.
He said the tragedy has prompted local parents to worry about their own children, friends of Mr Doyle, who are in Australia, "because they're dealing with the shock of death and they don't have their parents to turn to… so there's that great awareness of the community here that's in shock and the community there that's in shock".
Local councillor Paul Gribben said the family was taking the incident "very hard at this minute in time".
Mr Doyle moved to Australia three years ago to find work. Yesterday his brother, Kevin, who also emigrated to the country, posted a message on Facebook saying he felt as if his heart had been ripped out.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin is providing consular assistance to the family. It is expected to take a week before Mr Doyle's body will be repatriated to Northern Ireland.
A memorial service will be held for him in Leitrim, Co Down, on Wednesday evening.
