A 55-year-old farmer who was observed driving on both sides of the road was convicted of drink driving at Ballina District Court on Tuesday.
Garda Gerard Taheny outlined that at 6pm on July 6 2008 he received a call that a man — Patrick O’Hara, Carra, Bonniconlon — was driving on both sides of the Sligo Road in the direction of Ballina. Garda Taheny observed the red van a few minutes later and noted that the driver appeared sleepy. The van was also crossing over and back across the centre of white line and was driving slowly. The garda activated the garda lights, however the defendant continued to drive. When the siren was also activated O’Hara failed to stop and it was only when the garda overtook the defendant and stopped the garda car in front of him that the van came to a halt. When the garda got out of the car and approached the van he noticed that the vehicle was rolling towards to garda car. The garda reached in through the drivers open window and removed the keys from the ignition.
O’Hara was unsteady on his feet when he got out of the van and was arrested for drink driving. A subsequent breath sample showed 223mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
The single man who has no previous convictions was convicted and fined €600 and disqualified from driving for three years, with the disqualification not to come into effect until March 10.
