I thought I had hit dog but my brother was lying on ground
A PENSIONER accidentally ran over his brother after he fell over on the night of his 68th birthday, an inquest has heard.
Michael Waldron died following the accident last summer despite emergency surgery to try and save him.
Yesterday, the inquest into his death heard how 71-year- old Seán Waldron initially thought he had hit an animal when he felt a bump on the road.
The brothers had lived together in Cave, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo. Seán Waldron had been on his way home when the incident happened at around 12.30am in July of last year.
Mr Waldron said: ‘I saw something coming from my righthand side from the lawn. It went under the right front wheel. I felt the bump on the front wheel and on the back wheel.
‘I thought it was a dog I hit. I braked when I got the first bump.’ Seán Waldron ran over his brother with the front right wheel and the back right wheel of his Landrover Cruiser. Witnesses said that when Seán got out of the vehicle, he saw his brother lying on the ground on his back. There was blood from a cut on his forehead and Michael apologised to his brother f or the ‘ trouble’ he was causing. Mr Waldron said: ‘I spoke to Michael. He was talking to me. I took him by the hand. I asked him if he was okay. He said: “I am but I can’t get up. I’m an awful man. I’m putting you to a lot of trouble”!’
Michael was brought by ambulance to Mayo General Hospital, Castlebar, where surgery was performed.
His sister rang at 7.30am on July 20, 2011 – the following morning – to say that Mr Waldron had passed away.
He was popularly known as ‘The Minister’ in Co. Mayo due to his support for Fianna Fáil. Mr Waldron also had strong links with the GAA and was a passionate supporter of the Mayo senior team.
Hackney driver Joe Freeley gave evidence of driving Michael Waldron, who was drunk and mumbling, home from a pub in the town around midnight. He had dropped him off at the front door before heading back into town to pick up another fare.
Amy Conroy, a bar worker at MacStiurtain’s in Ballyhaunis, said Michael had come in some time after 9pm. She said it was his birthday and he was in great form. He would not let anyone buy him a drink. He drank two or three pints maximum while he was in, she said. She rang a
‘Seán carried a sense of burden’
taxi for Michael as he was a bit slow on his feet. She said he was having the craic and in good form but he looked very tired. She thought he had been drinking for a couple of days.
‘He was a big GAA man and with Mayo winning at the weekend, he was out because of that,’ she said. Following the unusual circumstances in which Mr Waldron died, a Garda investigation was mounted and State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy was called to carry out a post-mortem examination. Dr Cassidy told yesterday’s inquest that Mr Waldron had died due to a crush injury to his chest consistent with a vehicle traversing his body.
She said there was evidence of coronary heart disease with the deceased having sustained a major heart attack in the past.
The pathologist said it was surprising given the extent of the injuries that death had not been more immediate.
Dr Cassidy said there was no evidence that Mr Waldron had been knocked down from an upright stance and there was no evidence of any injuries consistent with an assault.
She said he may have fallen on the ground while in an intoxicated state. There was a high level of alcohol in the deceased’s body, the pathologist stated.
An inquest jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
Sympathising with Mr Waldron’s family, the coroner said the past 12 months had been very difficult for Seán Waldron.
‘I know Seán carried a great sense of burden,’ the coroner stated. ‘Unfortunately there was nothing he could do to avoid the situation. Michael l i ved for politics and the GAA. He was a most inoffensive man who would do anything for anybody.’ Garda Supt Colm Fox and Stephen Burns, foreman of the inquest jury, also expressed their sympathy to the deceased’s family.