Man's mother asks why garda was not tested at scene

The mother of a young man who died after he was run over by a car driven by an off-duty garda, wants to know why he was not breathalysed…

The mother of a young man who died after he was run over by a car driven by an off-duty garda, wants to know why he was not breathalysed at the scene or at a nearby station.

Garda Damien Carey was just under the legal limit for driving when he was tested for blood alcohol after the accident last March.

Derek O'Toole (24) from Clondalkin suffered fatal injuries when he was hit by Garda Carey's car. Mr O'Toole, who had also been drinking, was lying on the road when he was struck by Garda Carey's vehicle in Lucan.

On Tuesday, a jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure.

READ MORE

Christine O'Toole, Mr O'Toole's mother, says she will contact the Garda Ombudsman as she still has many questions that remain unanswered.

Garda Carey was tested for alcohol 14km away from the scene of the accident, at Harcourt Street Garda station in Dublin.

By the time he was tested, his blood alcohol level was 4mg under the legal limit for driving.

Garda Carey admitted drinking three pints and two bottles of beer before the accident.

"I definitely think they should have taken him to Lucan [Garda station] and blood tested him," she told RTÉ yesterday.

"How long after was the test?" she asked.

Ms O'Toole said she was shocked to discover how much alcohol Garda Carey had consumed before he drove. She said it was similar to the amount consumed by her son.

"The pathologist said Derek had had six pints over six hours," she said.

Ms O'Toole said she harboured no anger towards Garda Carey.

"I do feel sorry for the garda that night. I think he made a wrong call.

"But all I want to know is why things happened, why they happened afterwards. I'm not blaming him . . . I just want to know exactly what happened, and the way they unfolded," she said.