This article is from page 3 of the 2009-04-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
A YOUNG man yesterday recalled being dragged a mile, while attached to a car, being driven by a man who had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system.
The horrific evidence emerged in the case of a Kildysart man, who pleaded guilty to charges in connec- tion with a hit-and-run accident in which two pedestrians were struck, in Ennis, on January 13, 2008.
One of the victims was trapped as he was unable to detach himself from the car, as it took off at speed.
Moments earlier, his friend was struck by the same car and flipped up into the air.
Donal Holohan (23), of Aylroe, Kildysart, admitted a charge of dan- gerous driving, thereby causing seri- ous bodily harm to Tommy Walsh.
Holohan, a plumber, also admitted failing to stop at the scene, at Clon- roadbeg, Ennis; driving with excess alcohol in his breath at Friar’s Walk, Ennis and driving dangerously, at Clonroadbeg.
Garda Dermot Siggins told En- nis Circuit Court that Sean Cud- dihy, Tommy Walsh and two of their friends were walking along Clon- roadbeg at 3.10am.
They were en route to Tesco, in pursuit of cigarettes, when the first incident occurred.
This involved Mr Cuddihy, who
was struck by the defendant’s Nissan Almera, before being flipped into the Za
Mr Walsh and another man pursued the Almera and tried to prevent it from leaving the scene. Gda Siggins said that Mr Walsh stood in front of the car and put his hand on the bon- aoe
However, the vehicle took off at speed and Mr Walsh’s leg became entangled with the car. His chest got caught under the right wheel and he was unable to release himself from the car.
As the car took off at speed, he was dragged along and was trapped un- der it. The car travelled a distance of 1.7 kilometres before he became
detached.
Mr Cuddihy told gardai all he could remember was waking up in hospi- tal, while Mr Walsh said he and his friends were practising marching up the road – as some of them are mem- bers of the defence forces – and he could see Mr Cuddihy being struck by a car.
“He was flipped into the air and landed on his head,” he recalled.
He said he himself was caught under the vehicle and could not get EEN
He said the car kept moving and failed to stop. He remembered wak- ing up on a roadway but had no idea where he was.
Mr Walsh (21) suffered multiple in-
juries – including injuries to his chest, abdomen, shoulder, elbow, groin and a severe injury to his left hand – and underwent surgery on a number of occasions.
He is still undergoing medical at- tention and requires further surgery. Medics say he may never fully re- cover from his hand injury.
Taking the witness stand, he told the court he has lost more than a year in the army and has missed out on duties on overseas missions.
He said he returned to work a month ago and must undergo tests to ascertain if he is capable of rejoining the army.