This article is from page 16 of the 2009-10-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
A NORTH Clare motorist left the scene of an accident because he was in a rush to get home to his elderly mother, who he cares for, a court has heard.
Raymond O’Loghlen (52), of Loughrask, Ballyvaughan, was con- victed of careless driving and failing to provide appropriate information, at Ballyconnoe, Lisdoonvarna, on September 29, 2008.
Superintendent Declan Mulcahy told Ennistymon District Court that a vehicle owned by the defendant was driven on the incorrect side of the road, on a stretch of road between Lisdoonvarna and Ballyvaughan.
‘An oncoming vehicle had to take action to avoid being struck. Howev- er, at the last minute, the defendant corrected himself and moved his car to the correct side of the road. An ac- cident occurred on his correct side of the road,” said Supt Mulcahy.
He said that the defendant provid-
ed some details, before leaving the scene. He said there was no indica- tion that speed had been involved.
Supt Mulcahy told the court that the injured party sustained injuries, including a suspected fractured col- lar bone and right hand.
The driver of the other car, Sean McDonagh, told the court that he was on his way home from work that evening. He said he noticed a car approaching him and the pas- senger wheel was on the white line. He braked. “My honest opinion was this guy was asleep at the wheel. As I went to go right, he must have woken up and the two of us collided in the middle of the road,” he said.
He said he got out of the car and spoke to the driver. He could not un- derstand what he was saying.
Mr McDonagh said he has since had an operation on his right hand and has suffered from numbness in his hands. Prior to the accident, he had endured back pain, but this has worsened since the crash.
“When I get up in the morning, you would think I was a man of about 100,” he said.
Defence solicitor Jenny Fitzgibbon put it to him that her client’s insur- ance company has admitted liability and the witness accepted this.
Ms Fitzgibbon said her client ap- preciated that he shouldn’t have left the scene, but he was 1n a rush home to his mother, who he cares for.
“He did try and communicate with Mr McDonagh. He admitted it was his fault. Mr McDonagh will be compensated for his injuries,’ said Ms Fitzgibbon. She said her client had taken sleeping tablets the previ- ous night and this may have affected him. She said her client needs his car to look after his mother.
Judge Joseph Mangan imposed fines totalling ©€450 and ordered O’Loghlen to pay €200 witness ex- penses.