Three victims of hit-and-run in hospital after car drove on to path

GARDAÍ are trying to track down the driver of a car involved in an early morning hit-and-run that left three people hospitalised.

An investigation is under way after the car mounted a pavement outside a pub in the Co Louth town of Ardee before hitting the victims.

However, despite causing serious injury to the pedestrians, the driver sped off.

The incident happened on the town’s Market Street at around 1.15am yesterday when the car left the road and drove onto the footpath.

Three people – two women and a man – were knocked down as they were standing outside a pub.

Gardaí say the car, a silver Vauxhall Vectra, left the scene without stopping, leaving the three injured lying on the path as the emergency services were called.

A crashed car, believed to be the one involved in the incident, was found a short distance away but the driver was not found.

The victims, aged 20 and 21 two women and a man in his early 50s, were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where their conditions are described as stable.

They are being treated for fractures and bruising but none of their injuries is believed to be life-threatening.

A source last night told the Irish Independent that the car involved did not appear to have been stolen and gardaí were trying to track down the owner.

Appealed

“There is nothing at this stage to suggest this car was stolen and efforts are being made to locate the owner, and they may be able to shed some light on who was driving this vehicle at the time of the collision,” the source said.

Gardaí have appealed for any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage who was in the area of Ardee at that time to come forward to any Garda station or contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1-800666-111.

In a separate incident, a 26-year-old man was left in a critical condition after being hit by a truck in Co Westmeath.

The pedestrian was injured on the M6 eastbound at Moate at around 2.45am yesterday.

He was brought to Tullamore General Hospital where his injuries are described as critical. The 44-year-old truck driver was not physically injured.

The driver sped off despite the injury to the pedestrian