Family believe daughter was killed in car being pursued by Gardai

The mother of a woman killed in a high speed car crash says she wants a passenger in the car to give evidence at an inquest into her death. 

Lillian Maguire lost her daughter Sinead Maguire (43) of Bayview Avenue, Dublin 3 when the car she was travelling in hit a pole on May 29 2014.

The driver of the car Eric Wansboro, is currently serving an eight year sentence for dangerous driving causing death.

He told an inquest into the woman’s death at Dublin Coroner’s Court that he had no recollection of the crash.

Front seat passenger Ian McDonagh was not present in court but Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane is to seek his deposition.

The Maguire family believe Gardai were pursuing Eric Wansboro at the time of the crash.

“It’s important Ian McDonagh gives evidence because he was there. He can tell us if there was a garda chase,” Ms Maguire said. “I also want to know why GSOC were not called to the scene on the night,” she said.

Sinead Maguire died in hospital following a collision at the junction of Malahide Road and Clontarf Road at 1.52am on May 29 2014.

Described as fun loving, kind and helpful, Miss Maguire worked as a childminder and loved children.

“She never said a bad word about anyone in her life,” her father Ray Maguire said, speaking after the inquest.

She was a back seat passenger in the car when it collided first with a tree and then a pole. A garda forensic investigator put the minimum speed of the point of impact at 82kmph.

Eric Wansboro said he was driving but told Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane he had no recollection of the night.

“I was nearly killed myself. I woke up out of a coma about week after it. I don’t remember,” Mr Wansboro said.

He told the family’s legal representative David Langwallner that he had suffered a brain

injury and clinical memory loss. Asked if he was being pursued by gardai at the time of the crash, he said he did not know.

Taxi-driver Derek Duffy witnessed the fatal collision.

“I heard the roar of an engine and saw the lights of a car flying past me. It failed to turn at the junction and hit a tree,” he said.

About 15 to 20 seconds later, he said he saw flashing blue lights and a marked Garda car arrived at the scene.

Ms Maguire was rushed to the Mater Hospital where she died of her injuries.

The inquest was adjourned pending the submission of further evidence.