Woman fined €500 but spared ban
Carlow Court House. Photo: Michael O'Rourke
A 24-YEAR-OLD Tullow woman who veered into the path of a truck on a narrow country road near Tullow has been fined €500 and spared a driving ban after a judge said he was “shocked” that nobody was killed in the resulting three-vehicle collision.
Mutsawashe Mudawapi, Graigueowen, Tullow appeared before Judge Derek Cooney at Carlow District Court, where she pleaded guilty to one count of careless driving, contrary to section 52 of the .
Stating the facts, prosecuting Sgt McPartlin told the court that on 6 December 2025, just before 1pm, gardaí responded to reports of a three-vehicle collision at Grangeford, Tullow. On arriving at the scene, gardaí saw that a truck travelling from Tullow towards Carlow had collided with a Toyota Yaris, driven by the defendant, which was coming in the opposite direction.
Gardaí believed the Yaris had lost control and veered into the opposite lane, causing the truck to drive into a ditch to avoid it.
The court heard that a third vehicle, a Volkswagen Golf travelling in the same direction as the Yaris, then collided with the truck after its driver tried to avoid the Yaris.
The driver of the Golf received a concussion and a soft tissue injury, while the driver of the Yaris suffered a sore ankle while exiting her vehicle. The truck driver was uninjured.
A medical report on the Golf driver showed a scalp wound on their right side and mild bruising over their sternum.
Defence solicitor Chris Hogan told the court that the road was “narrow, twisty bendy” and that his client was travelling from Carlow to her home in Tullow. “She panicked when she saw the truck and momentarily lost control of the car,” Mr Hogan said, adding that his client’s front right wheel collided with the front right wheel of the truck.
“She remained at the scene, co-operated fully with gardaí and provided a statement,” he said.
He added that Ms Mudawapi was fully insured and had engaged with her insurance company, which accepted liability.
The court heard that Ms Mudawapi had been driving since she was 18 and has held a full licence for three years, with no penalty points in that time.
Mr Hogan said his client, who now works for Bank of Ireland in Kilkenny, completed her leaving certificate in Tullow before studying accountancy and finance at SETU’s Waterford campus. He asked the court not to impose a disqualification, saying it would have “unintended consequences” as she drives herself and her mother, who also works for Bank of Ireland, to work every day. She also brings her mother to medical appointments for her chronic arthritis.
Judge Derek Cooney, while looking at photographs of the crash scene, said he was “shocked” that nobody had been killed. “I can see nine or ten firemen on the road; there is debris everywhere and the car to the left is severely damaged,” he said.
Mr Hogan said his client had not been speeding and that there were no other aggravating factors, but that she did “absolutely make a mistake”.
Judge Cooney said he “could not understand” why the defendant, when frightened, would veer into the path of the truck rather than away from it. He added that even if she were travelling at only 20kph, veering into the path of an articulated truck was dangerous.
He declined to impose a disqualification, telling the court that the defendant has “her whole life ahead of her and has a great job” for which she needs her licence. He fined Ms Mudawapi €500, to be paid within six months, and told her that she was “so lucky” not to be facing more serious charges.
“Don’t ever make that mistake again,” Judge Cooney said, adding that her no claims bonus would be gone and that penalty points would apply.
“This was a major incident. We have to be aware of our surroundings at all times,” he concluded.
