Gardaí were about to pull over car driven by Thomas Healy before fatal Killarney crash

Officers had spotted Thomas Healy driving in the town at around 1am on Wednesday

Gardaí were preparing to pull over a car driven by a 14-year-old boy moments before a devastating crash claimed the teenager’s life.

Officers in a Garda van had spotted Thomas Healy driving on Park Rd, not far from the Plaza Hotel in the centre of Killarney, at around 1am yesterday.

The patrol van followed the car for a few hundred metres before gardaí turned on the flashing blue lights and a siren.

However, the boy, who was with another teen, failed to stop and the fatal crash happened moments later, plunging the town into a state of shock.

Thomas appears to have panicked and driven off towards Ross Castle — a popular tourist spot.

The car that Thomas Healy was driving being removed from the scene yesterday.

Teenager lost control of the car

Moments later, the teenager lost control of the car and hit a tree.

He is believed to have died instantly. A male passenger, also believed to be 14, is being treated in University Hospital Kerry.

He is understood to have suffered serious injuries to his lungs, but is conscious and was able to tell gardaí what happened.

The car the teenagers were in was a 25-year-old Toyota Corolla. Gardaí will investigate who owned the vehicle and also examine its roadworthiness.

Gsoc contacted about the incident

As gardaí had followed the car for a short distance and had turned on their blue lights and siren, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) has been informed.

Gsoc received a referral under section 102 of the Garda Síochána Act from a Garda superintendent in relation to the incident.

Sources said last night that gardaí in the van had observed the car driving around Killarney town centre and, “for whatever reason”, their attention was drawn to it.

It could have been “the size or the age of the people in the car”, they said.

The source said: “The gardaí did activate the blue lights and siren, and the car drove off and pretty much crashed almost immediately.

“They did try to stop the car to chat with the occupants, but it never developed into a chase. That was the total level of interaction.”

Thomas was a keen sports fan

Thomas, who was a keen sports fan and played for local teams Killarney Athletic and Beaufort FC, may have panicked when he saw the Garda van.

He is then believed to have gone round part of the roundabout in front of the hotel and taken the N71 exit, before taking a sharp left turn on to the Ross Road.

The scene where Thomas later crashed, in wet weather, was about 250m from Ross Castle.

It is close to the scene of a fatal road traffic accident more than 15 years ago.

Gardaí said: “The driver of the car, a male youth in his teens, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“A passenger in the car, also a male youth in his teens, was taken to Kerry University Hospital to receive treatment for serious injuries.

“This vehicle was subject to interaction with gardaí prior to the collision. As such, the matter has been referred to Gsoc.”

Community leaders express shock and sympathy

Thomas was the son of Gerard Healy, a musician known as the Singing Jarvey, and his wife Julia, who live near the Gap of Dunloe, Killarney. The youngest of four children, Thomas was a pupil at the Intermediate School Killorglin. His brother Jack Patrick is a well-known composer and musician.

Danny Healy-Rae, who is related to Thomas and knew the boy well, told the Irish Examiner: “I am devastated for the lad and his poor family. He was a lovely boy and he comes from a lovely family.

“I know his parents very well and the lad’s grandparents. How they will ever get over this is anybody’s guess... 

It’s a terrible thing to go after supper and not to be back the following morning for breakfast or any other meal for that matter. My heart goes out to that poor, poor family.

Another fatal accident 

Referring to the death of a motorcyclist earlier in the evening, named locally as James O’Connor, Killarney municipal district cathaoirleach Marie Moloney said: “Sadly, another fatal accident occurred in our municipal district.

“I want to express my sympathies to the family of the man who lost his life in a collision near Listry and to say how deeply saddened we all are at the news of that incident.”

Mr O’Connor was in a collision with a car at Listry Bridge, on the R563 between Killarney and Milltown, at around 8pm.

He was taken by ambulance to University Hospital Kerry, where he later died.