Jason Chatfield, President of the Australian Cartoonists Association and Ginger Meggs artist, was dragged aside a speeding taxi last Saturday in a hit and run accident. After spending an evening with friends watching a comedy show, Jason and his girlfriend, Sophie, had trouble hailing a taxi to head home. They called a taxi service to have one dispatched to their location. Once the driver arrived, Jason leaned in to verify it was for them and told the driver their destination. The driver wasn’t thrilled the ride was a short distance and yelled, “NO! Too close” and sped away.
Sophie suspects that Jason’s watch got caught on the door and as the taxi accelerated away Jason tried to run next to it, but was ultimately dragged.
He slammed his foot on the accelerator, pulling away much faster than I could keep up running, so I was dragged along, before slamming head-first into the road (d) on my right side. My head and shoulder took the brunt, as the rest of the right side of my body dragged along the bitumen, damaging my drawing arm and scraping off the skin at the shoulder, elbow and wrist.
Sophie, having witnessed the whole thing ran to me, lying on the road, and pulled me back on to the sidewalk. All I can remember is my whole body in excruciating pain, and not being able to feel my legs. I yelled in pain and blacked out.
Despite amnesia at the scene, Jason is recovering. The cab driver was not the one dispatched so it’s unclear who the driver was. Police are still investigating.
Read Jason’s blog for the more detailed blow by blow account.
Wow, that had to be a horrific experience. Wishing you a speedy recovery Jason.
Thank heavens he survived. Jason has done such a wonderful job with Ginger Meggs since James Kemsley passed away.
Here’s to a speedy recovery!
Jasons a great bloke and does incredible work on a range of cartooning fronts. Hope he recovers well and soon and they catch the guy who did it to him…you’re in our thoughts mate?
Hope they get the wretched $^&>@!* who was driving the cab…! I hope that Mr. Chatfield has a speedy recovery.
….having been a Taxi driver ,supporting my cartooning career for many years in Reno Nevada, and a place where I got a lot of my material, don’t hold it against Cab drivers in general, as many a cartoonist drove a Cab, but screw that son-of-bitch for being a jerk,and treating another human being with such arrogance,… recover and write about it, more material for your work, cartoonist’s are probably the hardest to kill….Woodrow
This all sounds so senseless. Heal quickly, Jason. I hope the damage to your drawing hand is nothing permanent, and that you are back to creating cartoons for everyone to enjoy soon.