GARDA ‘TOLD OF CRASH BUT DIDN’T GO TO SCENE’ Internal probe launched for not following protocol
A GARDA is at the centre of an internal investigation — for failing to act after being told about a fatal road smash, it has emerged.
The Star has learned that the officer was in a marked car when she was flagged down by a man who told her there had been a crash around the corner — but she did not go to the scene.
Instead, it’s understood the officer told the man she would deal with it — but there is no record of her contacting colleagues to raise the alarm about the crash in which one man was killed.
The incident happened in the Leinster area in recent weeks, sources have confirmed.
Gardai are now investigating the death of the man who died in the fatal crash.
But The Star has established that bosses are also investigati ng the actions of the officer — although the issue has so far not been referred to independent pol icing watchdog GSOC.
A Garda spokesman told The Star last night: “Gardaí are carrying out enquiries into certain aspects of the investigation into the fatal RTC”.
Investigation
“No referral to GSOC has been made in relation to this matter at this time.”
The Star has established that the internal investigation was ordered after a man came forward to tell gardai he alerted an officer to the crash — but she did not respond to it.
It’s understood a man who was working in the area flagged down the marked Garda car and told the lone officer in the vehicle that there had just been an accident around the corner.
It’s also understood that the officer acknowledged the man before driving off.
Sources have confirmed that the officer did not go to the scene of the crash.
Records
And The Star has also learned that there is no record of the officer contacting colleagues to alert them to the crash.
A source told this newspaper the probe was at an early stage and that the garda was on another task when they were alerted to the crash. The source said: “It i s early da ys, and there may of cou rse be some explanation. “She may not have been under the impression it was a less serious accident than it turned out to be, but the question is why they did not report it to anybody.
“Even if they were on another job, the practice would be to call the crash in.”
It’s understood that gardai and paramedics were contacted via an unconnected 999 call and told about the crash within a few minutes of the garda car being flagged down. Emergency personnel rushed to the scene of the crash and found a man with fatal injuries.
The exact location and date of the accident cannot be revealed for legal reasons.