Erratically drove bus along N4

DISTRICT

A minibus was driven erratically along the N4 and drove into the path of an oncoming truck which had to veer into a verge to avoid an impact, Sligo District Court heard. The driver, Anthony Burke (44) of Collery Drive, Cranmore, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on August 16 th 2016. He was also charged with the unauthorised taking of the minibus belonging to Mr John Reynolds and no insurance which was struck out by Judge Kevin Kilrane after hearing evidence. His alcohol reading was also above the drink driving limit, the court was told. Bus operator Mr Reynolds told the court that he had employed the defendant to go on two runs for him to Dublin prior to the date in question. As Burke had no transport from Mr Reynolds house outside Sligo he told him to drive the bus to his house, park it in a safe place and he would collect it a few days later. The following day, August 16 th, he got a got that his bus was seen driving recklessly up the N4. He called Mr Burke who then stopped the bus at Castlebaldwin and the gardaí arrived. Mr Reynolds said he didn’t give Burke permission to use the bus that day. Mr Mark Mullaney (solicitor) defending asked Burke if Mr Reynolds said he couldn’t drive the bus and he replied no. He said he was going to Carrick-on-Shannon on a personal run as previous bus operators he had worked for had allowed him drive their bus provided he put diesel in it. Judge Kilrane said conditions weren’t made sufficiently clear to Burke that he couldn’t drive the minibus and he struck out the unauthorised taking charge and no insurance. Inspector Paul Kilcoyne told the court there were a number of accounts that the bus was driving erratically along the N4 at 8:40am on August 16 th. He said Mr Burke’s alcohol reading when processed was above the limit. A witness driving behind the minibus at Cloonamahon said the bus was swerving onto the left hand side of the road and back to the centreline and continued driving erratically until Castlebaldwin where it stopped. Near the turn for Riverstown an oncoming truck had to take evasive action, driving into the verge and the minibus struck the driver’s door and did not stop. Another witness saw the lorry stopping and the minibus continuing to drive to Castlebaldwin swerving in and out of the white line where oncoming traffic had to avoid. Mr Mullaney said it was an unfortunate situation as Mr Burke had been a driver for an extensive period of time and that he was a lucky man to be alive to tell the tale after coming into the path of an articulated lorry. Judge Kilrane asked Burke if he had any explanation for his shocking driving and he said no. He also asked him about the alcohol reading and Burke said he had been out the night before. Mr Mullaney explained to the judge that had been dealt with through a fixed penalty notice. The judge fined him €300 on the dangerous driving charge, disqualifying him for three years, on the hit and run and failing to stop he was fined €300 and disqualified for three years. Two other dangerous driving charges at Aughanagh and Carrowkeel were taken into consideration.