Mel Gibson -- Trip and Fall Incident with Freelance Photog

One of Mel Gibson's dinner companions had a violent collision with a still photographer last night that ended with a call to police.

TMZ's camera guy was nearby and rolling when the incident went down in Agoura Hills ... near Malibu. Mel and his friends were standing outside a restaurant when the freelance photographer started sprinting around a corner ... near to Mel.

Mel's friend makes the next move ... jumping in front of the photographer and colliding with him. The friend definitely gets the worst of it -- landing square on his ass.