Orla (27) killed when all-terrain buggy flipped over in field
THE family of a young woman who was crushed to death when an all-terrain buggy rolled on top of her have described her as a “loved daughter and sister”.
Orla Treanor (27), from Rathlin Road, Drumcondra, Dublin, died after the incident at Dowdstown House Stud in Maynooth, Co Kildare, on July 22 last year.
The stud is adjacent to the TLC nursing home where Orla worked, and is owned and operated by the same person.
Kildare Coroner’s Court heard how an annual social event and barbecue for staff had been organised by owner Michael Fetherston that day.
Ms Treanor and others went to a takeaway in Maynooth and then returned to the grounds of the nursing home.
Activity manager Aurelija Kupryte’s deposition to the coroner outlined how Ms Treanor had started driving a golf buggy around a courtyard with receptionist Kayleigh Mulvey.
“She was saying ‘look at me, I’m such a good driver’,” Ms Kupryte’s deposition said.
Later, Ms Kupryte, Ms Treanor and Ms Mulvey drove the buggy to where another vehicle, a John Deere Gator all-terrain vehicle, was parked.
Ms Kupryte was in the driver’s seat and at some stage, Ms Treanor got into the passenger seat. The vehicle was a windowless two-seat buggy, with a roll cage for protection.
Ms Mulvey was standing in a tipper box on the back, holding on to the roll cage.
Ms Kupryte did two loops around the perimeter of the field. “I turned, and the whole vehicle turned over,” said Ms Kupryte’s deposition.
Ms Mulvey was thrown clear and got up after a few moments, and Ms Kupryte was already up, but Ms Treanor stayed on the ground. They tried to lift the vehicle, but it was too heavy.
Ms Mulvey raised the alarm and called for colleague Paul Brady to help. He managed to lift the vehicle and he began performing CPR. It was past 11pm and dark.
Garda public service vehicle inspector Bernard Halloran told coroner Dr Denis Cusack the vehicle was free of faults.
Ms Treanor was pronounced dead, and a post-mortem examination by Dr Stephen Crowther at Naas General Hospital found she had suffered broken ribs and a laceration to the heart, as well as a fracture of a vertebrae, and had died of multiple injuries.
The jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure.
After the inquest in Naas, Ms Treanor’s parents, Brian and Catherine, spoke briefly.
“Orla was a loved daughter and sister. Her death was an accident and there’s nothing we can really add,” they said.
She was standing in a tipper box on the back, holding on to the roll cage