Garda officer suspended from duty after fatal hit-and-run

A GARDA has been suspended from duty on suspicion of being involved in a fatal hit-and-run crash early yesterday.

The victim, a man in his 40s, was struck while on the Rathmullen Road in Drogheda, Co. Louth, shortly after 2.30am.

Emergency services rushed to the scene but when they arrived the vehicle involved had already left. The pedestrian was pronounced dead a short time later.

The car was later tracked down and gardaí seized it for a technical and forensic examination.

Its owner was subsequently identified as a garda, who was offduty at the time of the incident.

A source said the vehicle was not an official patrol car and the garda, who is based in the northwest region, has since been suspended.

Investigating officers are now trying to determine if the person was driving the car at the time of the collision. The incident has now been referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC). No arrests have been made yet.

Gardaí in Drogheda are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision to come forward.

A spokesman said: ‘GSOC would like to speak to any witnesses who observed any incident, activity or interactions at this time and location. GSOC would also welcome the provision of any CCTV, dashcam or mobile footage witnesses may have captured.’

The latest road-related fatality brings to 44th the number of deaths on Irish roads so far this year.

The pedestrian who was killed after being struck by a lorry in Co. Donegal on Friday has been named locally as Ciaran Mc Art. Mr Mc Art, in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene on the R245 at Magheranan, Letterkenny, following the incident shortly before 6am. His funeral Mass took place yesterday afternoon at St Eunan’s Cathedral, Letterkenny.