Burnfoot woman Acquitted in Cyclist Collision Case
A woman from Burnfoot,Inishowen,has been found not guilty of careless driving following a collision with a cyclist over two years ago. the case concluded at Buncrana District Court, with Judge Deirdre Gearty dismissing the charge despite the defendant’s initial guilty plea.
The incident occurred on August 8, 2023, at approximately 3:00 PM in Tooban, Burnfoot, when the driver was crossing a laneway and collided with a male cyclist travelling towards Burnfoot. While initially appearing to meet the criteria for a Section 52 careless driving charge, the court ultimately resolute no further action was necessary.
According to Sergeant Conor Mulkerns’ testimony, Gardaí responded to a call regarding the collision and ambulance personnel arrived shortly after. Paramedics assessed the cyclist at the scene and transported him to letterkenny University Hospital with a suspected broken collarbone.
Defense solicitor Patsy Gallagher argued that his client, a driver with years of experience and no prior issues, had immediately contacted emergency services. He also noted the cyclist was “rather vocal” at the scene and that subsequent medical assessment revealed the cyclist’s collarbone was not, actually, broken.
Judge gearty struck out the charge,citing that civil matters related to the incident were already being addressed.
