‘I’m a victim too’ says passenger of car fleeing gardaí through the town
One of the garda cars struck during the incident
A passenger in the car that rammed three garda cars, leaving six gardaí injured, says that he, too, is a victim of this terrifying ordeal.
Speaking exclusively to the 22-year-old Carlow man revealed this week that he was a passenger in the car that sped through the streets of Carlow on Saturday 5 October as it recklessly evaded gardaí.
The passenger is adamant that he had absolutely nothing to do with the alleged offence and has no idea why the driver took off while pursued by gardaí.
“Myself and the two girls in the car were genuinely screaming at him to stop … we were roaring at him, but he would not stop … I still can’t believe what happened,” the passenger told .
“I genuinely don’t know what he was thinking because we were surrounded by squad cars.” Along with the injured gardaí, the man is adamant that the three passengers are victims, too.
“I know it looks really bad, but we are innocent and the gardaí know that,” said the man, who added that all three passengers also received medical treatment following the incident. He added that one of the girls has been diagnosed with PTSD since and all three have been left embarrassed and ashamed by their unwitting association with an incident they believe had nothing to do with them.
The man has videos, taken on his phone, of their desperate pleas to the driver to stop while in the speeding car, which have been viewed by and were also given to gardaí.
“We are seen as guilty by association. Carlow is a small town and people know who was in the car … but I had nothing to do with it. I’m a person of responsibility in my job, I have keys to businesses, I lodge cash to the bank every week, this is not who I am,” he said.
The incident occurred at around 9pm, when gardaí on patrol attempted to stop the young driver close to the Tullow Road roundabout on suspicion of a road-traffic matter.
The car then took off from Carpenter Way at speed and was driven though Hanover and out the Kilkenny Road. The gardaí in pursuit called for back-up as they chased the driver out the Kilkenny Road. The driver rammed a squad car that was waiting for them at Powerstown and continued along the Kilkenny Road before hitting another garda car. In all, three garda cars were damaged.
The Carlow man explained to that this was the second time only he had been in the car of the driver.
“I had paid him €20 before to bring me to Dublin and back. On the night of the incident, the man explains that one of the girls had paid the driver €10 to bring them from Ballylinan to Carlow, out to Ballylinan again and then back again to Carlow town.
“I was going home to get my phone charger when we saw the blue lights at Lidl, but he didn’t stop and I don’t know why, but he just took off.
“Heading down the Kilkenny Road we could see two squad cars coming straight for us and two behind. I was holding on for dear life, I though this is it … we are done. I was waiting for the car to flip,” he said.
As a public safety matter, gardaí took direct action and dramatically brought the entire ordeal to a halt. All the occupants of the car were taken to a garda station.
The man, who suffers from epilepsy, had a seizure later that night at his home, his first in 11 months, and had to attend hospital for his injuries.
“This has really set me back, in terms of swimming or driving, it is very unfair.
“I have told the absolute truth to the gardaí. I have no reason to lie. One of the first things I did when I was speaking to the guards was to ask how the injured guards are,” he said.
Superintendent Anthony Farrell, confirmed to that the driver of the vehicle has been charged with dangerous driving and criminal damage, with investigations continuing, including the possibility of further charges against the driver.
Supt Farrell also confirmed that the three occupants of the car have not been charged with any offence.
When asked if gardaí believe it is possible that the occupants were innocent victims in this, Supt Farrell said “absolutely, we are not eliminating any possibility, so what you are saying is entirely possible. That will form part of the investigation, which is at an early stage”.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Carlow Garda Station on 059 9136620, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111, or any garda station.
