Teenager killed in stolen car crash

A 14-YEAR-OLD boy was killed and another seriously injured when the stolen car they were travelling in careered out of control, crashed through a barrier and ploughed into a tree.

William O’Dwyer from Nutley Avenue, Mahon, Cork, who garda sources described as being “well known to them”, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred at Monahan Road, Cork just before 12.30am yesterday.

An older youth was taken to Cork University Hospital and, although suffering from serious injuries, he was said by a hospital spokeswoman to be in a stable condition.

Gardaí believe a third youth, who suffered minor injuries, fled the scene after the crash. A youth was arrested in the area some time later on public order charges but has not yet been questioned about the crash.

Gardaí also believe the three youths had earlier stolen a white Nissan Sunny from Dundanion Road, near The Venue pub in Ballintemple. It broke down and was abandoned minutes before a white Honda Civic was taken from Avondale Park, Ballintemple.

This car was involved in the fatal crash and was taken to Togher Garda Station for forensic examination.

Flowers marked the spot yesterday where the young man died. Local councillor Chris O’Leary, who is also a youth and community worker, said the tragic accident had numbed the community in Mahon.

“There’s a sense of disbelief that such a tragedy has happened and that such a young life has been taken. There’s a great sense of loss in the community and our thoughts are with the family,” Mr O’Leary said.

A garda spokesman said there was no great increase in the number of car thefts in the area. “If anything they are actually decreasing,” he said.

Gardaí have appealed to anybody who witnessed the accident to contact Blackrock Garda Station at 021-4357401.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Co Louth are continuing to investigate the death of a 35-year-old woman.

She was killed when the car in which she was travelling collided with a four-wheel-drive. The accident happened shortly after 8pm last Wednesday at Knockaleva, near Collon. A rear seat passenger in the car was injured.

In another accident, a four-year-old boy from the North was killed and his parents and two-year-old brother injured in a crash in the Canary Islands.

The accident happened at about 11.30pm on Tuesday in the holiday resort of San Miguel de Abona in Tenerife. Police say the family’s people-carrier crashed into an oncoming taxi after the boy’s father mistakenly drove on the wrong side of the road. The collision occurred at a blind bend in the town’s centre.

The dead boy, who would have been five years old next week, was travelling in his mother’s arms at the moment of impact but was not wearing a seatbelt.

A British national was also arrested at the scene on suspicion of drunken driving.