Speed and inexperience resulted in single-car accident

A teenager who bought tyres on eBay drove into a roadside and overturned his car causing serious injuries to a lifelong friend.

Mark O’Donovan, 19, of Clashatarriffe, Roscarberry, Co Cork, was before Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday for sentencing on a charge of dangerous driving causing serious harm to Ciarán Woods, when the car flipped onto its roof in the single vehicle crash at Kilmeen, Rossmore, Clonakilty, on Jun 23.

Garda Paul Breen confirmed the suggestion from prosecution barrister, Jane Hyland, that the cause of the accident was a combination of inexperience and speed.

Garda Breen said gardaí were called to the scene of the accident at 2.30am, on Jun 23, 2012, where a Toyota Corolla was found on its roof and Mr Woods, who had been a front-seat passenger, was lying unconscious on the road a distance of about two metres from the car. His injuries included skull fractures, rib fractures, punctured lung and a laceration of the liver.

Garda Breen said that, relative to the seriousness of those injuries at the time, the injured man had recovered well.

Defence barrister James Duggan said the injured party, who was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, did not want to see the defendant jailed for the offence. Mr Duggan said the families of both parties were friends and lived in the same locality.

Mr Duggan said there was no question of alcohol being taken by the driver on the night or using a phone or anything like that, and he said that the car must have hit something when it went into the side of the road.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin disqualified O’Donovan from driving for a year and fined him €500.