SAT NAV put US couple who crashed on the wrong road

US visitors who crashed head on with a car in rural County Leitrim were on their way from Doolin in County Clare to Enniskillen at the time, Sligo District was told.

“The Sat Nav must have been off-beam,” remarked Judge Kevin Kilrane on hearing that the couple had crashed on the Mohill to Carrigallen road while trying to find their way to Enniskillen.

The driver of the hired car, Tim Lewis from Austin, Texas was charged with dangerous driving and with not having insurance following the crash on June 10 th at 7.30pm.

The teacher wasn’t named on the insurance policy the couple had taken out with their hire car. His pregnant partner was but he had taken over the driver as she wasn’t feeling well, said defending solicitor, Mr Tom MacSharry.

The court heard the couple were due to fly back to the US from Dublin the day after last Thursday’s sitting of the court.

The court heard that Lewis had pulled out to pass a quad bike while there was also a jogger on the left hand side.

The oncoming car met the car on its incorrect side of the road.

Both vehicles were driving at a very low speed at the time of the collision.

Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor (defending) that the defendant didn’t have any convictions.

The couple had taken out extra insurance on the car but the defendant wasn’t the named driver,” he said.

Judge Kevin Kilrane reduced the dangerous driving charge to one of careless driving and imposed a €100 fine.

He said the defendant was faced with an emergency and drove to the right as he was used to doing. He added that the road was a twisty and tortuous one. He struck out the insurance summons.