Watchdog investigates collision between Garda jeep and car

The office of the Garda Ombudsman is investigating a road crash involving a Garda jeep and a car, which occurred at the weekend, on the same stretch of road where a garda and fireman were tragically killed four years ago.

The collision happened at Barigone, Askeaton, Co Limerick, at around 11pm on Saturday night.

Three male gardaí travelling in the patrol jeep and two men who were in the other car, were taken to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick for “non life-threatening injuries”, a garda spokesperson said.

The gardaí and the other two men were discharged from hospital yesterday.

It’s believed the two vehicles were involved in a near head-on collision at a well-known bad bend on the N69 between Foynes and Askeaton.

“The Garda Ombudsman office is now investigating the incident so, we can’t publicly comment on it,” said a spokesperson for the Garda Press Office in Dublin.

The road was closed overnight as gardaí and road collision inspectors examined the scene of the crash. The road was re-opened yesterday morning.

Anyone with information can contact the office of the Garda Ombudsman on 1890 600 800.

Saturday night’s collision happened around the same spot where a garda and a fireman were killed while attending the scene of another road crash on Feb 25, 2007.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old woman was killed and two people injured in a single-vehicle road crash in Galway City on Saturday.

There were three people in the car at the time. All three were taken to Galway University Hospital where the woman was pronounced dead.

An 18-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man were treated for their injuries.