Pensioner 'drove off' after Limerick road collision
AN ELDERLY motorist who left the scene of a collision was “under a bit of pressure” at the time, a court heard.
Gerard Storan, aged 70, of Holycross, Bruff was before Kilmallock Court to face a number of charges, under the Road Traffic Act, in relation to an incident at Gortacloona, Knockainey on December 21, last.
After a guilty plea was indicated, Inspector Pat Brennan told the court that after gardai were alerted to the two-car collision, they attended the scene where they found a White Hyundai car “parked up in the ditch”.
He said they were informed a brown Nissan Almera had collided with the Hyundai at a bend a short time earlier and that the driver had failed to remain at the scene.
“There were minor injuries,” he told Judge Colm Roberts adding that a investigation into what happened was then carried out.
Mr Storan was quickly identified as a suspect and he made admissions when questioned by gardai.
Solicitor Con Barry said his client has a good history and that he was dropping a relative to a local doctor when the collision happened.
He said Mr Storan, who has no previous convictions, was “under a bit of pressure” at the time and that he has been worried about the case since.
While the defendant was prosecuted for dangerous driving, the judge said he was willing, in the circumstances, to accept his guilty plea to the lesser charge of careless driving.
Seeking leniency from the court, Mr Barry said his client’s only source of income is his pension and, seeking legal aid on his behalf, he said he “is not a wealthy pensioner”.
He said Mr Storan is apologetic and accepts he “should have known better” and should have remained at the scene of the collision until the arrival of gardai.
Having considered the evidence and noting the defendant’s cooperation and guilty plea, Judge Roberts said he had “no hesitation” in not imposing a disqualification.
However, he added that life is “full of pressure” and that this should not be an excuse for what happened.
“It’s a serious matter,” he commented as he imposed a €150 fine in relation to the careless driving charge.
Additional fines of €100 were imposed for failing to remain at the scene and for failing to stop when the collision occurred.