Accused did not admit dangerous driving causing Paudie Palmer's death, court told

Forensic crash investigator Garda Raymond Sweeney testified that following his examination of both vehicles there was no impact on the front of Paudie Palmer's car, suggesting it did not collide with the BMW

The court heard that Bohdan Bezverkhyi said by Google translate to gardaí on the day of the crash: “I am sorry… I was scared. I have no excuses.” File picture: Dan Linehan

The Ukrainian motorist who denies dangerous driving causing the death of GAA broadcaster Paudie Palmer in Innishannon at Christmas 2022 said by Google translate to gardaí on the day of the crash: “I am sorry… I was scared. I have no excuses.” 

However, the defence senior counsel, Seamus Roche, said during the trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that when Bohdan Bezverkhyi said this he was referring to leaving the scene and was not admitting any responsibility for dangerous driving causing Mr Palmer’s death.

Detective Garda Manus O’Donnell testified that he called to the accused and told him he was investigating the car crash and that Mr Besverkhyi made the responses via Google translate, also stating: “I wanted to go to you tomorrow.” 

Detective Garda O’Donnell also testified that when he charged the accused with four counts — all relating to a failure to remain at the scene of an accident — he variously replied: “I am guilty, I just want to apologise… I am sorry, very sorry for what happened... I have no excuse, no excuse… Very sorry for my actions. I want to apologise. I am very sorry for my actions.” 

Again Mr Roche said in cross-examination that the four charges to which the defendant made those responses referred only to a failure to remain at the scene. Det. Garda O’Donnell agreed.

33-year-old Bohdan Bezverkhyi, of Rigsdale House, Rigsdale, Ballinhassig, County Cork, denies the most serious charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Palmer at Dunkereen Cross, Innishannon, Co Cork, on December 29, 2022.

He pleaded guilty to five other charges. He admitted dangerous driving at another time and place — December 28, 2022 — on the main Cork-Kerry road, the N22. In respect of the incident at Innishannon on December 29, 2022, he pleaded guilty to failing to offer assistance at the scene, failing to remain there, failing to report the incident to An Garda Síochána, and a charge of failing to stop.

Paudie Palmer died on December 29, 2022. File picture: Dan Linehan

The trial before Judge Colin Daly and a jury of seven men and five women continues at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Seamus Roche SC said during cross-examination of Det. Garda O’Donnell: “He has pleaded guilty to leaving the scene and various associated actions and that is effectively what he was apologising for.” The detective agreed that the accused was co-operative when questioned and was quite forthright in terms of his involvement in the accident and put forward a particular view of what happened.

Detective Garda O’Donnell said that in the first of three interviews he accepted he was involved in a road traffic accident earlier in the day “and in the second interview he said it would have occurred whether he (the accused) was there or not. He said the Peugeot 206 (driven by the late Mr Palmer) was an unreliable car. He said he (the accused) was impacted by the other driver (the late Mr Palmer).” 

Forensic crash investigator Garda Raymond Sweeney testified that following his examination of both vehicles there was no impact on the front of the Peugeot, suggesting it did not collide with the BMW. He said the greatest impact was on driver’s side of the Peugeot suggesting that this car did not collide with the BMW.