THE DRIVER of a car that struck a man who later died said he was driving under duress.
Richard Dekker was driving his girlfriend’s Nissan Micra when it struck Edward Lynch on February 22nd 2009. Mr Lynch died three days later.
Mr Dekker told gardaí two men entered his car and one grabbed the steering wheel and swerved toward Mr Lynch, who was struck in the back by the driver’s side wing mirror.
Mr Lynch from Oranmore Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 was walking along Claddagh Road when he was struck. He was thrown onto the bonnet of another car.
The night before his death, he complained of stomach cramps and “an awful” pain in his chest, according to his sister Elaine Lynch.
Jennifer Lynch, mother of the deceased found her son dead the following morning.
The family then discovered threatening messages on Mr Lynch’s phone and Garda arrived the next morning.
“I love Edward and I don’t know how I am going to cope without him. Those two mornings were the worst of my life,” Jennifer Lynch said.
Detective Sergeant Denis Smith said Mr Lynch went with a friend, Bernard Harding to Claddagh Road to buy cocaine on February 22nd.
“He was walking back to my car, next thing another car came and swerved in and hit him and then swerved back out,” Mr Harding said.
Det Sgt Smith said there was no question Mr Lynch was struck deliberately. Messages left after the incident said “we didn’t get you this time but we will get you again,” Det Sgt Smith said.
He said the messages were traced to a brother of two brothers who were travelling in the Nissan Micra when Mr Lynch was struck.
Mr Lynch died of hemorrhage and shock due to a ruptured spleen due to a crush injury to the abdomen, according to a post mortem report carried out by Professor Marie Cassidy.
Inspector Colm O’Malley said the death had been investigated and reviewed but no prosecution was directed.
He said gardaí had not been able to establish the exact cause of the crush injury.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell of Dublin Coroner’s Court adjourned the inquest pending further evidence from Prof Cassidy until May 13th.