Death car driver had drink, drugs in blood

Anthony O'Brien (27), Rathmullen Park, Drogheda was driving a blue Vauxhall
Astra estimated to be doing 100mph on the wrong side of the road when it
collided head on with the lorry.

Drogheda Coroner's Court heard that three of the five people in the car
were identified by tattoos; only one could be identified facially. Two of
the victims were 16yearold girls. All died instantly and suffered
multiple and severe injuries.

Coroner Ronan Maguire described it as one of the blackest days in the
history of the community in Drogheda. The inquest took place last week into
the death of the lorry driver, John Myers, Castletown, Dundalk.

The court also heard that half an hour before the crash Drogheda gardai
received a report of the car driving dangerously at Georges St as it headed
in a northerly direction. The information was circulated to a patrol car
and two traffic corps vehicles.

Edward Kieran was travelling behind the lorry on the night of July 21. Both
were travelling towards Dundalk. He said the car shot around the corner and
straight into the lorry. It was on the incorrect side of the road. He
believed it was travelling at least 100mph and 75pc of it became embedded
in the lorry.

A sister of the dead man challenged Mr Kieran and said that if he only saw
the car for a split second how could he tell its speed. He replied it was
the speed it appeared to be doing. Mr O'Brien's body was identified by
means of a tattoo on his arm.

Pathologist Dr Anthony Dorman said the deceased had suffered several acute
traumatic head injuries, numerous fractures and laceration of internal
organs.

A blood sample taken at the time of the post mortem had a bloodalcohol
reading of 202 milligrams per 100 millilitres. It was also positive for
cannabinoids (cannabis). Death was due to multiple injuries.

A solicitor for Anthony O'Brien's family asked the Coroner to note, at the
request of his widow, that all the passengers were in the car on a
voluntary basis, all were out together for the night, they were all adults
and knew what they were doing. Mr O'Brien was married with five children.

Daniel Johnson (26), Rathmullen Park. was a back seat passenger in the car
and was identified by an eagle tattoo on his left arm. Mr Dorman said he
also died from multiple injuries. He had a blood alcohol reading of 172
milligrams and was positive for cannabinoids.

Front seat passenger Albert Wilson (28), Ballsgrove, was identified by a
series of marks on his hand by his father Thomas Wilson.

Mr Wilson had a blood alcohol reading of 136 milligrams and while one test
was positive for the presence of cannabis, a second test had not supported
this finding. Mr Dorman concluded he died from multiple injuries.

Brenda O'Rourke (16), Moneymore, was identified by a tattoo of the letters
BOR on her shoulder by her father Timothy. She too suffered multiple
serious injuries. She had a blood alcohol reading of 29 mllgs and was
positive for cannabinoids.

The second teenager, Sarah Jane McKenna, Rathmullen, was identified
facially by her aunt Lily Maguire. She suffered multiple injuries. Her
blood was negative for alcohol and for drugs.

Supt Fergus Doggitt and the Coroner expressed their sincere sympathies to
the families of the deceased. Between them the dead men left nine children.
The lorry driver Mr Myers was married with a young child.