Garda statements to the inquest into the death in October, 1996, of Mr Richard Barron, a cattle dealer from Raphoe, Co Donegal, have revealed that the scene was not preserved at the time and potentially crucial evidence was not retained.
On the second day of the inquest in Letterkenny, further evidence was heard from local people who had seen 54-year-old Mr Barron at 12.30 a.m. on the morning of October 14th, 1996, staggering through Raphoe and having to hold onto a wall with two hands.
Mr David Park said in his statement: "I was thinking I had better be careful driving up the road," adding that he had seen Mr Barron drunk before.
The ambulance team who attended the scene where Mr Barron's body was found at The Common, Raphoe, at around 1 a.m. described not seeing any debris or glass on the road.
This was confirmed by the gardaí who attended the scene and all of the civilians who gave evidence.
The inquest heard that the ambulance service and gardaí were alerted about Mr Barron's body on the ground by Ms Hilary McBride, after Mr Lee Parker discovered the body and called to the McBride house near the scene to get them to call the emergency services.
Ms McBride also called Mr Barron's son, Stephen, who arrived at the scene and placed a blanket supplied by the McBrides over his father's body.
Garda Patrick Boyce detailed how he received the 999 call at Letterkenny station at 1.05 a.m. from Ms McBride, and he called Garda Mulligan of Raphoe station but got no response.
He then telephoned Lifford Garda station and passed the details to Garda P.J. McDermott.
The inquest heard from Garda McDermott that there was initial confusion whether the scene of Mr Barron's incident was Townparks, Raphoe, or Townparks, Convoy.
Gardaí James McBirney and James McDwyer, of Lifford station, were both on a meal-break and Garda McDermott understood that the Ballybofey patrol car was to go to the scene, thinking it was the Convoy Townparks.
When Garda McDermott returned from his meal-break at around 1.20 a.m. Garda McBirney and Garda McDwyer went to the scene in Raphoe.
Garda McDwyer told the inquest that he and Garda Mc Birney arrived in Raphoe before 1.35 a.m. and met off-duty Garda John O'Dowd and Garda Mulligan.
The two Lifford-based gardaí followed the Raphoe gardaí to the scene and arrived at 1.35 a.m., by which time Mr Barron had been removed to Letterkenny General Hospital.
"I saw a large pool of blood on the road and a white blanket in the hedge.
"It started to rain heavily. There was nothing present to indicate a vehicle, no tyre marks or impact debris.
"I found a piece of human skin with hair attached 5 feet from the pool of blood on the Letterkenny side of the blood mass," Garda McDwyer's statement read.
However, no one lifted this piece of skin and all four gardaí left the scene when they were informed that Mr Barron was pronounced dead at Letterkenny General Hospital.
"We decided to go to the hospital and get Mr Barron's clothing for forensic examination," Garda McDwyer added.
Mr Donagh McDonagh SC, for the Barron family, asked Garda McDwyer had he not considered preserving the scene and he said Garda Mulligan would have been the member on duty and it would have been the responsibility of Raphoe gardaí.
Garda McDwyer described being "non-plussed" that there was no debris on the road and described as "inconclusive" what had happened to Mr Barron.
Garda McBirney told the inquest he had not seen the piece of skin with hair attached that his colleague had mentioned.
He added: "We all decided the scene was so polluted by vehicles going up and down the road and it was pouring with rain at the time."
The inquest resumes today, when the witnesses are expected to include the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison.