The deaths of a man and woman in a car crash in south Dublin early on Tuesday are being investigated by gardaí and the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc).
The driver of the vehicle appeared to lose control of the car at speed causing it to veer off the road and hit a lamppost in Templeogue at about 1.30am.
Gardaí were on the scene shortly after the crash occurred and sealed off the crash site on Butterfield Avenue near the Old Bridge Road junction.
The man and woman were pronounced dead at the scene and it is understood they were the only people in the car at the time.
A number of gardaí were in a vehicle patrolling in the area around the time of the crash.
Investigators are now trying to determine if the vehicle the deceased man and woman were in was driven away from the Garda car at speed and before it crashed.
Both Garda and Gsoc investigators are also focusing their inquiries on whether gardaí were driving after the car and, if so, at what distance and at what speed.
Gsoc is investigating the crash because it is legally obliged to begin inquiries into any incident that results in a member of the public being injured or killed at or around the time they were in contact with any Garda members.
The bodies of the man and woman have been removed to Tallaght University Hospital. Postmortems are due to take place on Tuesday.
The Garda Forensic Collision Investigation Unit has carried out an examination of the scene and the road reopened at 7am.
Garda Headquarters said the Garda investigation into the double fatality crash was being carried out by gardaí at Tallaght station.
“Gardaí are appealing for anyone who travelled the road at the time of the collision, and who may have dash cam footage, to contact gardaí in Tallaght,” the statement added.
As well as working to formally identify the victims of the crash and to liaise with their families, gardaí were also trying to determine the movements of the crashed vehicle and the victims in the period before the fatal crash.
