A Balla man who when he drove without insurance, tax, or driving licence, crashed into the back of a stationary car stopped at traffic lights and causing more than €4,000 worth of damage, was this week convicted of careless driving.
Garda Conor Doyle said that he was called to a traffic collision on the Breaffy Road on June 13 2009. A driver of a silver Honda Civic, Declan Costello, Pollavaddy, Balla, had no tax or insurance and his driving licence had expired. On August 6 2009, the driver of the car into which Costello had crashed made a statement at Castlebar Garda Station where she said that around 8.50am on June 13, while she was stationary at the Station Road traffic lights, which were red, she observed in her rear view mirror a car come at speed behind her which crashed into the rear of her Hyundai. According to the witness the defendant pleaded with her not to call the gardaí. More than €4,000 worth of damage was caused to her car and none of the damage has been paid for.
Costello, who has no previous convictions, told the court that the roads were greasy that morning and the break did not stop the car on time.
The supermarket worker was convicted and fined €500 for careless driving and Judge Mary Devins also imposed an auxiliary disqualification from driving for one year. For driving without insurance he was convicted and fined €750 and disqualified for two years concurrent. For having no driving licence or tax Costello was fined a total of €400.
