DEATH CRASH DRIVER Garda advise builders after tool thief nab HAD USED CANNABIS
Forensics expert tells court drug found in system
GARDAI are warning construction workers to secure building sites after a man was arrested for stealing tools worth thousands of euro.
A five-month hunt by detectives tracked down the suspect who raided a location in Blackrock, near Cork city on September 3.
Sgt Tony Davis said: “Construction sites are by nature easy targets for criminals due to the types of materials, tools and machinery on site.
“If you are working on site for a prolonged period we would advise that CCTV be set up.
“Get good security lighting, fences or hoardings.” A DRIVER accused of causing a fatal crash during a Garda pursuit had cannabis in his system, a court heard yesterday.
Michael Collins, 44, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Jillian Thornton on May 27, 2016.
Trim Circuit Court has heard the incident occurred between Ashbourne and Balrath on the N2 in Waterside Great, Duleek, Co Meath, following a 25-minute pursuit of a Mitsubishi Colt through Drogheda and East Meath.
Forensic scientist Karen Hayes told prosecutor Carl Hanahoe she had tested a blood sample taken from the defendant of St Finian’s Park, Drogheda, after the crash.
It returned a zero result for alcohol but a second test showed a presence of cannabis.
The scientist said the drug could slow a driver’s reaction time, cause them to deviate from lanes, misinterpret time and distance and make multitasking more difficult.
Michael Mccabe told the court he had been heading towards Slane when a car with no lights almost collided with him head-on.
He said the driver was “performing all kinds of mad manoeuvres predominantly on my side of the road”.
The witness said a marked Garda car was following at a distance with other patrol vehicles behind.
He added he later turned and headed back “out of nosiness” but found the road had been blocked.
Gda Robert Keenan told the court he had been in the marked Audi A7 which had been the lead car in the pursuit.
He said as the accused’s car headed towards Slane he and the driver, Gda Dessie Mcgarry, had switched off the blue lights and siren, dropped back 700 metres from the Colt after receiving a message that a 999 call had been made from it claiming the driver was going to crash unless gardai stopped following.
He added the driver did a U-turn and drove back at them forcing Gda Mcgarry to swerve.
The trial continues. Jillian Thornton