Van driver involved in Cork collision ran over garda’s foot and sped off 

A motorist who failed to stop at an accident and later ran over an investigating garda’s foot before fleeing to Britain eventually handed himself in, Mallow District Court has heard.

Court presenter Sergeant Linda O’Leary told the court that James O’Sullivan, aged 25, of Hazel Avenue, Dromcollogher, Co Limerick, was the driver of a transit van that was involved in a collision at Seeds, Dromcollogher, on October 22, 2022.

O’Sullivan left the scene with two other men in the van. A short time later, while the investigating garda was at the scene interviewing the other motorist involved in the collision, O’Sullivan approached in the transit van from the opposite direction, towing a trailer full of timber.

The garda beckoned him to stop and approached the open driver’s window to speak to O’Sullivan. As the garda approached the transit van, O’Sullivan sped away and rolled over the garda’s left foot in the process. The garda sustained significant injuries to his foot, which required three months of physiotherapy.

A Garda patrol later stopped the transit van, and the three males jumped out of the vehicle and made their escape, running off through fields in different directions.

O’Sullivan had been disqualified from driving for dangerous driving at the time of the incident and later fled to Britain.

The court heard that O’Sullivan returned to Ireland in June 2024 and presented himself at Charleville Garda Station. He later pleaded guilty to endangerment. The court was informed that he had two previous convictions, including the one for dangerous driving.

Judge Colm Roberts remanded O’Sullivan in custody until October 7 for the completion of a probation report.

• This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme