Off-duty garda arrested for drink-driving as two officers hurt in crash

An off-duty garda has been arrested for drink-driving following an incident in which three people, including two gardaí, were hospitalised in a three-car crash.

It happened around 11.20pm on Saturday night, when a garda car stopped to help a driver whose car had broken down on the hard shoulder of the N2 in Co Monaghan.

As the garda car was stopped, another car ploughed into the back of it causing it to rear end the car that had broken down.

A garda source said: "The two garda were talking to the man in the car that had broken down when their patrol car was rear-ended. That caused the patrol car to hit into the car that had broken down."

All three vehicles suffered extensive damage. The two gardaí who had travelled to the scene and the driver of the original broken down car were injured.

Their injuries were not life-threatening.

The driver of the third car was arrested at the scene and found that he was an off-duty garda.

The garda, who was based at a station near the border, was "processed" at Monaghan Garda Station before being released without charge.

The Garda Siochana Ombudsman (GSOC) will investigate the incident.

An ombudsman spokeswoman said: "The incident was referred to GSOC under section 102 of the Garda Act and we are examining the circumstances that led to the incident."