Cork motorcyclist who wrote off car after crash at junction convicted of careless driving

Cork heard defendant was unable to stop in time to avoid collision with car parked at junction and drove into the back of it

Defendant was convicted of careless driving and disqualified from driving for six months, and also fined €500.

A man who crashed his motorbike into a car that was waiting to make a right-hand turn has been convicted of careless driving in the district court.

Sergeant Linda O’Leary told Youghal District Court that Aleksander Malysa, aged 46, of West Avenue, Frankfield, Cork, was riding his motorcycle on the N25 road near Ardmore in Co Waterford on the afternoon of August 24, 2024.

The court heard Malysa had overtaken another vehicle as he rounded the bend near the Ardmore turn-off. As the junction came into view, he saw an Opel Astra car stopped at the right turn lane waiting to turn off towards the village.

The court heard Malysa was unable to stop in time and drove straight into the back of the car throwing him forwards on the road and writing-off the car. The occupants of the car were not seriously injured.

The court heard Malysa had three previous convictions, the most recent of which were from 11 years ago for drink-driving and driving without insurance. The third conviction was for holding a mobile phone while driving, in 2013.

Defence barrister William Bulman said Malysa had simply seen the car too late as he approached the crossroads. He said Malysa was a mechanic who lived in Cork but worked in Midleton and needed transport to get to work.

The court heard Malysa was also the father of a child with special needs who he dropped to school regularly. Mr Bulman said his client was disqualified from driving for three years in 2014 and had all of his documents in order on this occasion. 

He asked Judge Miriam Walsh to consider reducing the charge of dangerous driving to the lesser charge of careless driving and also asked her to consider not imposing a driving disqualification.

Judge Walsh agreed to reduce the charge but said that, as a man working in the motor trade with previous convictions for road traffic offences, Malysa should know better. The judge said the argument that Malysa “had been good for 10 years” was not enough. 

She added that “motoring offences can kill people” and although she was sympathetic to the demands of caring for his child, it was not an excuse for bad driving.

Malysa was convicted and disqualified from driving for six months. He was also fined €500 and given three months to pay the fine.

This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme