Man accused of causing fatal collision may have been driving more than double the speed limit, jury told
The man accused of causing a fatal two-car collision may have been driving more than double the speed limit at the time of the impact, a jury has heard.
It is alleged that Michael Jones (24) was driving an Audi A3 which broke a red light at speed before crashing into the side of a Mitsubishi Colt driven by Hong Qing Qu.
The collision happened around 1am on November 17, 2015 at the top of a slip road close to Blanchardstown shopping centre in west Dublin.
Mr Jones, a professional roofer from Whitestown Drive, Dublin has pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Qu at Blanchardstown Rd. south on November 17, 2015.
On day eight of his trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court Garda Patrick McIlroy told the jury that based on factors including the angle of the impact and the places both cars ended up after the collision, he was able to determine that the Audi A3 had been travelling between 115km/h and 137km/h prior to the collision.
Gda McIlroy said that the speed limit for all roads in the area was 60km/h.
He said he was able to determine that the front of the Audi A3 collided with the side of the Mitsubishi Colt based on the area of concentration of the worst damage to both cars.
There was extensive damage to the front of the Audi A3 and that the rest of the car was relatively untouched.
Gda McIlroy said that the Audi A3 mounted the kerb of a traffic island and collided with two traffic light polls and two protective railings before coming to a halt.
Garda Alex McDermott-Roe told the jury that he interviewed Mr Jones in the hospital a few hours after the collision.
Gda McDermott-Roe said that Mr Jones confirmed that the Audi A3 belonged to him, but denied he had been driving the car at around 1am that morning.
The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
