A 34-year-old man has appeared at a special sitting of Killorglin District Court on Saturday on charges of dangerous driving, involving a high-speed chase through the town of Killarney in the afternoon of Friday, July 3rd.
It was sheer luck that a number of fatalities had not occurred during the half-hour chase in which a van was driven at high speed and on the wrong side of the road, a senior garda told the special sitting of the court this afternoon.
Gardaí objected to bail and the accused man, Richard Brazier of Doire Alainn, Killarney, has been remanded in custody.
Garda witnesses said Richard Brazier drove on the wrong side of the road, on several occasions, he took a number of roundabouts the wrong way before crashing into a wall in Woodlawn estate, the court heard.
Gardaí were in pursuit and sirens and blue lights were flashing.
Garda Edmond Walsh, who observed the high-speed driving on the public road, said it continued for half and hour. The van reached speeds of between 80 and 90 miles an hour and the van came to a stop after it crashed into a wall at Woodlawn estate.
Arrested and formally charged, Brazier made no reply when charged with four counts of dangerous driving at four locations spanning and circling Killarney – from Lackabane in Fossa to the west of Killarney, to Daly’s Roundabout on the eastern side and at Rookery Road and Woodlawn Park estate on the southern side.
He is also charged with taking a van at Shanakeale, Castlemaine without the owner’s consent.
Inspector John Brennan said the State strongly objected to bail.
“Aren’t we lucky to be here today without some fatalities,” he put it to Mr Brazier.
Insp Brennan also asked him why he did not stop with gardaí in pursuit and blue lights flashing.
Mr Brazier said there would not have been fatalities because he was a good driver.
“There were no mirrors in the van. I didn’t know there was any patrol car behind me,” he said.
He would be prepared not to sit into any mechanically propelled vehicle, and to sign on daily at Killarney Garda station, should he be given bail, he replied to his solicitor Padraig O’Connell , during his bail application.
Mr O’Connell said his client was on methadone treatment, had no means and lived with his mother.
Two previous bench warrants had been issued for him when he failed to turn up in court on drugs charges, the court was told.
Judge James O’Connor granted legal aid, refused bail and remanded him in custody to appear in Killarney District Court on Tuesday next.