Lunatic driving the wrong way down the dual carriageway

stefanovich

This morning around 9:30 my girlfriend was on the way to work. Just about to overtake another car when she saw a car driving full speed towards her. There was another car also overtaking which was forced onto the grass verge. She accelerated back onto the hard shoulder and skidded to a stop.

In her rear mirror she saw the car continue forcing multiple cars to skid to a stop or forcing them off the road.

A little while later she rang the guards and they said a person had been arrested driving a silver mercedes.

seachto7

stolen? drugged up scumbag?

locum-motion

stefanovich wrote: »

Lunatic driving the wrong way down the dual carriageway...

Jaysus, there wasn't just one. I saw hundreds of them!

colm_mcm

stefanovich wrote: »

This morning around 9:30 my girlfriend was on the way to work. Just about to overtake another car when she saw a car driving full speed towards her. There was another car also overtaking which was forced onto the grass verge. She accelerated back onto the hard shoulder and skidded to a stop.

In her rear mirror she saw the car continue forcing multiple cars to skid to a stop or forcing them off the road.

A little while later she rang the guards and they said a person had been arrested driving a silver mercedes.

This wasn't at bunratty was it?

Ennisman

Yep. Bunratty it was. He crossed over to correct side. Motorcycle Garda rode next to him for ages with blues and twos but he wouldn't stop. Left motorway at Crusheen and took off up country road before getting caught in a cul-de-sac. Mental health case.

colm_mcm

I just missed him by a minute but saw all the commotion. Couldn't actually see yer man in the merc though, no idea how he crossed the dual carriageway

Jhcx

Here's an article from the clare hearld

http://clareherald.com/2014/06/19/wrong-way-driver-arrested-after-chase-67509/

Quiet shocking. Even to be doing speed the wrong way. I wonder where they entered from.

Ennisman

He lives in Cork so could very well have got on wrong side at Coonagh.

clintondaly

This has happened several times at this location i have personally seen it twice myself on this stretch of road

colm_mcm

I've had it happen twice before this but always in the other direction (heading north) there are a few turn offs between sixmilebridge and bunratty that don't have proper exits.

stefanovich

My girlfriend was actually driving towards shannon from limerick. Encountered him driving towards her just before the first turn off to shannon. Seems from the report that he was on the other side. Maybe he did a uturn afterwards before heading out to crusheen?

MarkR

Hope the driver gets the book thrown at him.

stefanovich

MarkR wrote: »

Hope the driver gets the book thrown at him.

What would he be charged with here? I know in some countries it would be considered attempted murder.

Ennisman

There may not be any charges. This guy was arrested and detained under the Mental Health Act.

MarkR

stefanovich wrote: »

What would he be charged with here? I know in some countries it would be considered attempted murder.

Nothing like that here. He could get

• 5 points for Failure to stop when so required by a member of the Garda Síochána
• 4 points for riving a vehicle on a motorway against the flow of traffic

Hope he gets the help he needs. Just be glad no one was hurt,

dmc17

seachto7

Fark!!!!

seachto7

Ennisman wrote: »

There may not be any charges. This guy was arrested and detained under the Mental Health Act.

In fairness, you'd want to be mental to have pulled that stunt.

Brennans Row

MarkR wrote: »

Nothing like that here. He could get

• 5 points for Failure to stop when so required by a member of the Garda Síochána
• 4 points for driving a vehicle on a motorway against the flow of traffic

Hope he gets the help he needs. Just be glad no one was hurt,

Well he has now pleaded guilty to six charges of dangerous driving in relation to a series of incidents along a 41km stretch of motorway from Cratloe to Crusheen on June 18.

He drove on the wrong side of the motorway at a speed of 180 km per hour.

The points system and for what it's worth . . . . he was already banned from driving for 30 years in 2012 at Limerick Circuit Court, and his 208 previous convictions include 19 offences for drink-driving and nine hit-and-run offences. :rolleyes:

Bizaarely, he was allowed to go home as he was remanded on bail for sentencing in December.

See Irish Examiner.

Johnboy1951

Brennans Row wrote: »

Well he has now pleaded guilty to six charges of dangerous driving in relation to a series of incidents along a 41km stretch of motorway from Cratloe to Crusheen on June 18.

He drove on the wrong side of the motorway at a speed of 180 km per hour.

The points system and for what it's worth . . . . he was already banned from driving for 30 years in 2012 at Limerick Circuit Court, and his 208 previous convictions include 19 offences for drink-driving and nine hit-and-run offences. :rolleyes:

Bizaarely, he was allowed to go home as he was remanded on bail for sentencing in December.

See Irish Examiner.

Leaving this guy loose is no way to protect the rest of society!

Almost unbelievable ...

colm_mcm

If he'd parked in a wheelchair space he'd be in jail now

CptSternn

I wonder if he drove himself to court.

denismac

I saw another case of it on Thursday morning at 9.30 or so between Cratloe and the Radisson. There was a guy in a small black van driving towards Limerick on the wrong side. Despite numerous cars and trucks flashing him he kept going until he got to the flyover bridge. There were cars in both lanes coming around bends having to take evasive action. He eventually pulled in at the flyover. Lots of nervous drivers on the road that morning

tyview

Brennans Row wrote: »

Well he has now pleaded guilty to six charges of dangerous driving in relation to a series of incidents along a 41km stretch of motorway from Cratloe to Crusheen on June 18.

He drove on the wrong side of the motorway at a speed of 180 km per hour.

The points system and for what it's worth . . . . he was already banned from driving for 30 years in 2012 at Limerick Circuit Court, and his 208 previous convictions include 19 offences for drink-driving and nine hit-and-run offences. :rolleyes:

Bizaarely, he was allowed to go home as he was remanded on bail for sentencing in December.

See Irish Examiner.

That is quite unbelievable. How on earth is this man free to get into another car whenever he likes to pull another stunt like this. This countries legal system is a joke!

Clareman

tyview wrote: »

That is quite unbelievable. How on earth is this man free to get into another car whenever he likes to pull another stunt like this. This countries legal system is a joke!

How is he free to get into another car? Surely being banned from driving means he's not free to drive another car, as he continues to break the law he is going to be sentenced in December.

I do not agree with people being allowed to drive when they aren't capable, driving is a privlidge not a right, but I don't agree with filling (already full) prisons with driving offenders, in extreme cases like this however this guy clearly needs to be thought a lesson.

tyview

Clareman wrote: »

How is he free to get into another car? Surely being banned from driving means he's not free to drive another car, as he continues to break the law he is going to be sentenced in December.

I do not agree with people being allowed to drive when they aren't capable, driving is a privlidge not a right, but I don't agree with filling (already full) prisons with driving offenders, in extreme cases like this however this guy clearly needs to be thought a lesson.

The article says the man was already banned from driving for 30 years in 2012 so I somehow dont think another ban is going to stop him from driving.

Clareman

tyview wrote: »

The article says the man was already banned from driving for 30 years in 2012 so I somehow dont think another ban is going to stop him from driving.

Besides locking the guy up or putting a 24/7 police escort on the guy, I don't know how else the they are going to stop him driving. Due process is being followed, no system is going to be able to account for every lunatic out there.

Balagan

The man needs to be in Dundrum for his own and everyone else's safety but, unfortunately, he will have to kill or maim to get there.

colm_mcm

Clareman wrote: »

Besides locking the guy up or putting a 24/7 police escort on the guy, I don't know how else the they are going to stop him driving. Due process is being followed, no system is going to be able to account for every lunatic out there.

There are places for mentally ill people though.