Prank on colleague led to carpenter’s death, inquest told
Derek Clarke wept openly in Dublin City Coroner’s Court as he heard how his close friend and workmate Peter O’Flinn died after going under the wheel of a car.
Mr O’Flinn had been trying to lift the windscreen wipers on Mr Clarke’s car when the vehicle moved forward.
The court heard the 23-year-old, of Beaupark Crescent, Donaghmede, suffered fatal head injuries when he was knocked to the ground at the car park of his workplace on May 17, 2005.
He died three days later in Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital — just seven weeks before his mother also passed away.
Colleagues said the lifting of windscreen wipers was a common practice by Mr O’Flinn and other workers at Dolan Brothers Ltd, a shop fitters in Dublin Industrial Estate, Glasnevin.
During the hearing, a visibly upset Mr Clarke was comforted by the dead man’s father, Frank O’Flinn.
In a statement read out at the hearing, Mr Clarke said the victim had been one of his closest friends.
He told the court Mr O’Flinn was clocking out of work when he passed his car and leaned over the bonnet to reach the wipers.
Mr Clarke, who had earlier reversed the car into place, said he did not realise its tyres were pointing out to the side and as the vehicle slowly moved forward it accidentally turned in to the path of the victim.
Witnesses, who recalled hearing the sound of Mr O’Flinn’s head hitting the concrete, said the incident lasted just seconds, with Mr Clarke reversing immediately.
Investigating gardaí said Mr Clarke was in a state of shock at the scene, but they were satisfied the incident had been accidental.
Sympathising with both the victim’s family and Mr Clarke, Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, said the death resulted from a simple prank that went tragically wrong.
A jury recorded a verdict of accidental death.
