Double road death driver was ‘on way to house party’

The young man who mowed down two emergency workers Sunday morning on the N69 road near Foynes was on his way to a house party according to a report today.

The Examiner newspaper suggests the 18-year-old and two others, all from the Ballylongford area of North Kerry received a text message during the 5am hour telling them about a house party in Limerick.

They took off in the Limerick direction along the N69 when the 1994 Kerry-registered black Audi coupe in which the 18-year-old was driving ploughed straight into an accident scene between Foynes and Askeaton, a crash scene which was being attended to by Garda Brian Kelleher(46) and Foynes fire fighter Mike Liston (47) among others.They were both struck by the speeding car and died instantly.

(Left: Mike Liston and Right: Brian Kelleher)

The young driver was arrested at the scene but released nearly 10 hours later. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Bishop Donal Murray spoke yesterday on the double road death,

“It should remind us of the services that some people provide for the community and which we can take for granted. I offer both families my sympathy and prayers”

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