A 52-year-old cab driver has been sentenced to life in prison for trying to run over one of his passengers four times.

Guillermo Fernandez was convicted of attempted murder earlier this year in a Circuit Court jury trial. Judge Dexter Del Rosario imposed the mandatory life sentence yesterday after hearing testimony from the victim, Ryan Foth, and from relatives of the defendant.

Fernandez will be eligible for parole after the Hawai'i Paroling Authority determines the minimum number of years he must serve behind bars.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Pu'u stressed that Fernandez tried again and again to hit Foth with his vehicle after the two men argued June 29, 2007, near the corner of Keawe Street and Ala Moana boulevard.

"It wasn't just one time, it wasn't two times, it was four times," she said. "He drove around the block and came back to try again."

She added: "This wasn't a case of self-defense."

Defense lawyer Todd Eddins said Fernandez "made some mistakes," but "he certainly didn't intend to kill anyone."

Eddins said the trial involved complex legal issues. The jury deliberated two hours on a Friday afternoon before reaching a verdict.