Defendant lost control of lorry on N80 near Leagh, Carlow court heard
Carlow Courthouse Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A ZIMBABWEAN national was fined €500 and disqualified from driving for four months after a truck he was driving careered off the N80 at Rathoe, through a ditch and into a field.
Edward Matowa (42) with an address at Nolan Transport, Oaklands, New Ross, Co Wexford pleaded guilty to careless driving under section 52 of the Road Traffic Act.
Inspector Tom Jones outlined that on Monday 29 June at 8.40am, gardaí responded to a report that an articulated lorry had gone through a ditch on the N80 at Leagh, Rathoe, Co Carlow. The lorry had been travelling towards Carlow from Ballon, had gone to the wrong side of the road, crashed through a ditch and travelled roughly 100 metres into a field.
Solicitor Tertius Van Eeden, representing Mr Matowa, said one of the wheels of his client’s truck had touched off the left curb. He tried to bring it back to the middle of the road but over-corrected and went off the road to the other side.
There was no damage caused to the vehicle and no one was injured. The farmer whose land was involved is being compensated by the defendant, Mr Van Eeden said and the court heard that the gardaí accepted that he is easy to deal with.
The defendant has a Polish driving licence and has been working as a truck driver across Europe to send money back to his wife and children in Zimbabwe, said Mr Van Eeden. He lost his job as a result of this incident and his visa to stay in Ireland is up for renewal in September.
Judge Geraldine Carthy noted that “it could have been a serious matter” and that there was some damage to the field and ditch. She fined Mr Matowa €500 and disqualified him from driving for four months “as the facts are quite stark.” Judge Carthy fixed recognisance at €500 own bond.
