Toddler killed as family started holiday in Listowel
A Manchester-based family had just started a holiday in Listowel, Co Kerry, when their youngest child, a four-year-old boy, died after being struck by a car on Sunday at around 5.35pm.
Little Rio Singh Ranjaha Potiwan is believed to have been playing with other children when he came onto the road at Dromin, Listowel, where the family had a rented house. He died in Tralee Hospital. He had three sisters.
The Singh family, who have relatives in north Kerry, arrived in Listowel the previous day.
Supt Frank O’Brien of Listowel said people were shocked and saddened by the death and were doing everything possible to comfort the family.
Meanwhile, John Paul O’Brien, of 42 Baloonagh Estate, Tralee, died when his Open Astra collided head-on with a Volkswagen Caravelle taxi, at Anglont, Killorglin, at 3.25am yesterday. The accident occurred on a straight stretch about two miles outside Killorglin, on the Killarney road.
Mr O’Brien, who was aged in his mid-20s and was alone in the car, died at the scene. He had been attending the Puck Fair festival in Killorglin.
Gardaí in Killorglin (066-9761113) have appealed for any witnesses.
The latest fatalities bring to 12 the number of people killed on Kerry roads this year. Eight people were killed in the county last year.
Senior Kerry gardaí yesterday urged all road users to be extra vigilant. Supt Frank O’Brien, stressing that his comments were not related to any of the latest fatal accidents, said gardaí were gravely concerned about the high number of fatalities. He also said that too many drivers were not heeding the drink-driving laws, saying that, prior to the weekend alcohol had been linked to 80% of fatal accidents in the Listowel district.
“This compares with the national average of 40%. Some people are clearly not heeding the message,” he said.
This year, four people have died in traffic accidents in the Listowel area.
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