A man who, when drunk, collided into a car on the wrong side of the road, and then left the scene, was before Castlebar District Court this week.
The court heard that on January 17 of this year, Joe Sweeney, Nephin View, Ballindrehid, Kiltimagh, collided at speed with a car which was exiting from Castlehill Park Estate, Turlough. The defendant hit this car on the wrong side of the road and caused extensive damage to the front of the vehicle. Sweeney, who was in the company of a female, sped from the scene and was later located in Kiltimagh by gardaí, where the defendant admitted that he was driving. A breath sample was taken from him which gave a reading of 58mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
The 37-year-old unemployed man has since attended Hope House to deal with his alcohol problem and is living with his partner and four children. His insurance has compensated for damage caused to the injured party’s vehicle. Sweeney has no previous road traffic convictions.
Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined him €400 for drink driving and disqualified him from driving for two years; for dangerous driving he was convicted and fined €400 and disqualified for two years concurrent, and for failing to stay at the scene of an accident he was convicted and fined €500.
