UPDATE:

POLICE have charged a 33-year-old Broadbeach man involved in the shocking hit and run at Surfers Paradise yesterday afternoon.

He has been charged with one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing grievous bodily harm.

Police said they will allege a 29-year-old man was struck by a car as he was standing beside his cab on Laycock Street about 4.45pm.

The car then also allegedly sideswiped the parked van before leaving the scene without stopping.

The 29-year-old from Labrador was taken to the Gold Coast University Hospital with serious leg injuries.

The 33-year-old is due to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court May 26.

EARLIER:

A TAXI driver allegedly made threats to kill an off-duty fellow cabbie moments before mowing him down in a shocking hit and run in Surfers Paradise yesterday afternoon.

Revellers near Laycock St watched in horror as a black Holden Cruze sped toward the man — who had just got out of another taxi driver’s vehicle — striking him and sending him crashing over the bonnet and onto the middle of the road.

The vehicle sped off down Surfers Paradise Blvd just before 5pm as witnesses rushed to the aid of the injured man.

Last night the 29-year-old man, believed to be of Indian nationality, was in hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries to his leg.

media_camera Police speaking at the scene. Photo: Richard Gosling

Brisbane visitor Noel McAtamney was in the nearby Q1 building when the incident occurred and rushed to help.

“The man was just lying out in front of that cab,” he said.

“He looked in a pretty bad way.

“He got out of the cab and pretty much as he got out ... he got hit.”

Gold Coast District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Neil Parker said the driver of the taxi had been on the phone to the driver of the black vehicle before the hit and run. Senior Sergeant Parker said the driver of the Holden Cruze made threats against the taxi passenger’s life.

“A threat of that nature was made over the phone,” he said.

#BREAKING: Man hunt underway after a cabbie was struck by a driver at high speed https://t.co/yi6Ing4GtH #7News https://t.co/LOo8RDe4eB — 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) May 13, 2016

It’s still unclear if all three cab drivers are employed by Gold Coast Cabs but police were speaking with a number of other drivers at the scene last night.

A Gold Coast Cabs spokesman said they were aware of the incident and were co-operating with police.

“At this stage we cannot comment on the details as we are still trying to ascertain the facts,” he said.

media_camera Bloodied towels at the scene. Photo: Richard Gosling

“The matter is with police and we await more information from them.”

Forensic officers last night established a crime scene and partially blocked off the area near the Mantra Legends Hotel, while police continued to search for the offender.

Gold Coast Regional Duty Officer, Acting Inspector Brett MacGibbon, said police were confident they would apprehend the man responsible.

media_camera Acting Inspector Brett MacGibbon at the scene. Photo: Richard Gosling

“The intersection is very busy at that time of night,” he said. “A lot of pedestrians and a lot of other traffic were on the roads, so we obviously have no doubt that a number of people have seen the accident, so we are very interested in speaking with them.”

Police last night appealed for help in finding the offender, who was driving a black Holden Cruze sedan, Queensland registration 816 VJS.