Man, 34, due in court over fatal Monaghan crash
A 34-year-old man is due in court this afternoon in connection with the death of Stephen Marron who was killed in a two-car collision in Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan.
The car he was driving hit the vehicle owned by the 47-year-old father-of-two on Tuesday night, and Garda Michael Devlin was also injured after being dragged along the road.
Gardaí and GSOC are investigating the incident and the man who was arrested at the scene is due in court later today.
Funeral arrangements have been announced for Mr Marron, who lived in Beech Drive, Drumillard, Castleblayney.
He will be reposing at his parents’ home in The Crescent from 6-10pm today and from 12-9pm tomorrow.
The funeral mass will be held at Saint Mary’s Church, Castleblayney at 11.00am on Saturday.
Update - 12pm: Woman first on the scene of fatal Monaghan crash makes contact with gardaí
A woman who was the first on the scene of a fatal two-car collision in Monaghan has made contact with the gardaí.
Superintendent Fergus Treanor had appealed for the woman to come forward in relation to crash in which Stephen Marron was killed and a garda was injured in Castleblayney on Tuesday night.
CCTV footage showed the woman coming to the assistance of Garda Devlin.
Despite a number of witnesses coming forward, the woman did not identify herself to gardaí until after they made the appeal this morning.
They have asked for any other witnesses who may have been in the vicinity of Main St, Castleblaney between 11.15pm and 11.45pm on Tuesday night to contsct them.
A 34-year-old man who was arrested at the scene remains in custody at Carrickmacross garda station under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
Earlier: Appeal for woman to come forward who was first on the scene of fatal Monaghan crash
Gardaí are appealing for a woman who was the first on the scene of a fatal collision in Co Monaghan to come forward.
47-year-old Stephen Marron was killed in the two-car collision which occurred in Castleblayney on Tuesday night.
He was married with a 9-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son.
A man had left the garda station and Garda Devlin, who recognised him from a previous case, tried to stop him. However, he got dragged along by the car.
The car was driven erratically with the driver's door open onto Main Street and crashed into Mr Marron's car as he worked delivering pizzas.
The car mounted the pavement and came to a stop after hitting a pedestrian. Garda Devlin was taken to hospital and Mr Marron died at the scene.
The driver, a 34-year-old man, remains in custody today.
Garda Superintendent Fergus Treanor, who is based in Carrickmacross, is leading the investigation and said it is coming into its final stages as the man's detention will run out later today.
He described the events that unfolded after the man entered Castleblaney station to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
"By chance, Garda Devlin was there and he had known this individual from eight years ago," Supt Treanor said.
"He left the garda station in a hurry and Garda Devlin attempted to speak to him and was then, unfortunately, dragged by the car from along York Street down on to Main Street [for] approximately a quarter of a mile."
CCTV footage then showed a woman coming to the assistance of Garda Devlin.
"From what I can see, she acted very bravely," Supt Treanor said.
"I think she believed that the car was on fire, there was certainly a lot of smoke coming from it and her efforts to assist Garda Devlin are very much in my thoughts at the moment. She obviously involved herself in some danger.
We are very keen to speak to her. A lot of witnesses have come forward but this lady hasn't been identified to us yet.
Supt Treanor said it was important that they speak with the woman as she was the first person on the scene.
Garda Devlin is recovering and in the care of his family and investigators will speak with him shortly, Supt Treanor said.
"I know from talking to his district officer that his first thoughts were about the deceased, Stephen Marron."
Commenting on the fact that the garda recognised the man in custody when he first entered the garda station, Supt Treanor said that the pair had had some contact eight years ago.
"We are obviously going to look at that, but it's quite obvious that garda Devlin recognised him."
"Castleblayney is in a state of shock, but from a garda perspective, the assistance that we've got over the past two days has been incredible and quite touching.
"I know Stephen was a big part of the community and there's a lot of sorrow out there," he said.
