Cars damaged in Cork city road chase

A 20-year-old man was arrested yesterday after leading gardaí on a morning car chase around the north-side of Cork City, crashing into a number of cars in the process.

The driver first drew attention shortly after 8am as he drove towards the city centre on Lower Glanmire Rd.

He continued onto Horgan’s Quay before turning back towards the Glanmire direction.

In Glanmire, the man headed north, before turning onto the Rathcooney Rd back towards the city.

The pursuit ended in Mayfield when the driver hit a number of cars on the Old Youghal Road near the junction with Banduff Rd.

Gardaí said the man was arrested under the Road Traffic Act and brought to the Bridewell Garda Station for questioning.

One eyewitness said she hit the brakes as she met the driver who travelled against traffic through the middle of Glanmire village.

“I was coming down Church Hill by Coláiste an Phiarsaigh and turned right at the T-junction into Glanmire,” the eyewitness said. “I saw him coming flying down on my side of the road. I thought he was overtaking, but that isn’t a stretch of road where you would look to pass someone in front of you.

“We both hit the brakes and I saw a gap between some parked cars on my side, so I threw the car in there. He slowed down and made a third lane for himself by driving between the two lines of traffic,” she said.

The eyewitness said a garda on a motorbike was in pursuit, and was followed by an unmarked car.

She described the car being pursued by gardaí as lightly-coloured and large.

The Old Youghal Road was closed for a short period of time following the accident to allow gardaí to clear the scene.