Second Cork teenager killed in car crash inside 24 hours

A TEENAGER was killed in a car crash yesterday morning, the second to die in Cork in a little over 24 hours.

Timothy Walsh, aged 18, died after he lost control of his Peugeot 106 which spun onto a verge before hitting an ESB pole and a tree.

A garda patrol car came upon the scene of the accident at 4.15am yesterday, a few yards east of the Oriel House Hotel in Ballincollig, County Cork.

Mr Walsh, from 26 Ashleigh Gardens, Blackrock, was rushed to Cork University Hospital, but his injuries were so severe he was pronounced dead by doctors a short time later.

The car was taken to Gurranabraher Garda station yesterday morning where it was undergoing tests to see if it had any serious mechanical defects which could have contributed to the accident.

Garda technical experts also examined the scene of the accident looking for further clues. Gardaí said that their initial thoughts were that Mr Walsh was not travelling at any great speed when he lost control of the nine-year-old car, even though it overturned after hitting the ESB pole. No other vehicle was involved.

A post mortem was carried out on the body at Cork University Hospital by pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster.

A garda spokesman appealed for anybody who witnessed the crash to come forward. “We believe the accident happened only a very short time before gardaí came on the scene. Therefore we are interested to talk to anybody who may have seen the 96-registered black Peugeot 106 in the Ballincollig area after 4am.”

Anybody with information is asked to contact Ballincollig Garda station at [phone].