Motorist was drunk and ploughed into lorry killing driver, court told

By David Raleigh

A man was drunk at the wheel of his car when he drove across a road and ploughed into a lorry killing its driver, a court heard on Tuesday.

Niall O’Halloran, of Woodfield Drive, Newcastle West, Co Limerick, is accused of dangerous driving causing the death of father of two, Arturs Birznieks, at the N21, Reens East, Ardagh, Co Limerick, on March 18th, 2022.

Mr O’Halloran also faces a charge of driving while intoxicated at the same location on the same date.

He denied both charges at his trial, which opened on Tuesday before the Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.

Prosecuting barrister, Lily Buckley, instructed by County Limerick State Solicitor Brendan Gill, assisted by paralegal Sarah Heavenor, said it was the State’s case that Mr O’Halloran was “intoxicated and incapable of properly controlling his vehicle” on the day.

“You will hear that Mr O’Halloran engaged in dangerous driving and caused the death of Arturs Birznieks,” Ms Buckley told the jury.

Mr Birznieks, a Latvian national living in Knock, Co Mayo, had been driving a lorry that was pulling a container load of chickens on the N21, going in the direction of Limerick city.

Mr O’Halloran was driving a red coloured Volkswagen Passat in the opposite direction towards his home in Newcastle West.

Ms Buckley said the jury would hear that Mr O’Halloran drove his car onto the wrong side of the road and into the path of Mr Birznieks' lorry.

Ms Buckley said Mr Birznieks tried to take “evasive action” by turning his lorry away from Mr O’Halloran’s oncoming car to try to avoid a collision.

Ms Buckley said Mr Birznieks slowed his lorry down, and “through no fault of his own” he lost control of the lorry after Mr O’Halloran’s car impacted with the front passenger side of the lorry, damaging its steering and fuel tank.

The lorry “jackknifed” on the road and struck a wall. The lorry’s trailer smashed into the lorry cab, where Mr Birznieks and Mr Birznieks died at the scene.

Mr O’Halloran’s car ended up on a grass verge in the opposite direction to which it had been travelling, the court heard.

Ms Buckley said the jury would hear that when questioned afterwards by gardai, Mr O’Halloran admitted “he had been drinking”.

She said the court would hear evidence that, prior to the fatal collision, Mr Birznieks had taken appropriate rest periods, which he was “obliged to do” as a long distance lorry driver, and he had no alcohol or other intoxicants in his system.

Mr O’Halloran is being represented by senior counsel Mark Nicholas with barrister Kenny Keirns, instructed by Michael O’Donnell solicitors, Rathkeale.

The trial continues on Wednesday.