Woman dies after car veers off road

Icy roads may have been a factor in the death of a young woman whose car veered off the road and crashed in to a field in West Cork.

The tragic accident was discovered early yesterday morning when a passerby saw the badly damaged car lying on its side in Tooreen, outside Skibbereen, and alerted gardaí.

The victim, named as Sharon Hayes, aged 36, from Dunmanway, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gardaí in Bantry appealed last night for witnesses who may have been in the Tooreen area, particularly anyone who was on the back-road between Drinagh and Drimoleague, between 10pm on Thursday night and 7am yesterday, to get in touch with them.

Gardaí have established that Ms Hayes’s last contact with her family was on Thursday at about 9.30pm.

The accident happened sometime after that on a downhill stretch where the road enters a sweeping right-hand bend.

It appears the car lost control and veered over a ditch, crashing in to a field, where it came to rest lying on the driver’s side.

Gardaí were alerted to the accident at 8.15am yesterday when a passing motorist spotted the car.

Emergency services arrived quickly but Ms Hayes was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gardaí immediately sealed off the scene and the road, and arranged for a forensic collision investigation.

The woman’s remains were later removed to Cork University Hospital where an autopsy was due to be carried out.

Air temperatures in the area on Thursday night had plummeted to -1C and gardaí are examining whether ice on the road contributed to the accident.

The car will also be examined to see if mechanical failure was to blame.

* Gardaí appealed for anyone with information to contact Bantry Garda Station on 027 20860, the Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.