A MAN charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a pedestrian outside a primary school in Limerick City replied to the charge: “I feel like a murderer.”
Danny Connors (30), of Clondrinagh Halting Site, Ennis Road, Limerick, wept as he appeared before Limerick District Court with a total of eight offences arising out of the fatal hit and run, which occurred on Limerick’s Ennis Road on Tuesday November 26.
Mr Connors is facing one count of dangerous driving causing the death of James Forde (50s) from Shannamore Park, Clareview, Limerick.
He is also facing three counts of dangerous driving, and two counts relating to the alleged hit and run, in which he allegedly failed to remain at the scene and failed to render assistance to Mr Forde.
Mr Connors is also charged with driving without insurance and driving without a driver’s licence at the same location on the same date.
Garda Dermot Hallett, of the Roads Policing Unit at Henry Street Garda Station gave evidence of arresting and putting Mr Connor’s under caution after charging him.
Garda Hallett told the court Mr Connors replied after caution: “I wish it was me instead of that poor man.”
The accused also told the Garda: “My heart almost burst with the fright, I never thought something like this would happen. I feel like a murderer.”
“Since the day I broke that law, I’m doing a life sentence,” Mr Connors told Garda Hallett.
The Garda told the court that the accused also expressed “my sincerest apologies … I’m very sorry to the family and to the deceased man, I never thought I would do this to someone, and to be honest, I feel like a murderer.”
Garda Hallett objected to bail on the nature and strength of the evidence and the seriousness of the offences before the court.
During a contested bail hearing, Garda Hallett alleged that at around 1.34pm on November 26, Danny Connors drove a red Ford Focus at high speed through a red light at a pedestrian crossing “directly outside a primary school, close to finishing time, as parents gathered to collect their children”.
Garda Hallett alleged Mr Connors had driven at speed from Roses Avenue, “failing to give way to oncoming traffic which had the right of way and he forced these vehicles to stop”.
The Garda also alleged Mr Connor’s Ford Focus was “straggling the continuous white line” on the road, and swerving as it travelled towards the pedestrian crossing where the fatal hit and run occurred.
Video footage from a Garda-operated CCTV camera shows Mr Forde approaching the pedestrian crossing, pressing the crossing button, and waiting for the lights to turn green, the Garda told the court.
Garda Hallett alleged the CCTV footage shows Mr Connors driving the Ford Focus “at speed through the pedestrian crossing and colliding with James Forde”.
After the collision, Mr Forde’s body “remained lifeless on the ground,” Garda Hallett said.
The Garda further alleged that Mr Connors “abandoned” the Ford Focus near his home address and “evaded Gardaí for a number of hours afterwards”.
Mr Connors later met with Gardaí by appointment at his home and made a number of admissions under caution, Garda Hallett alleged.
Objecting to bail, Garda Hallett said it was the strong belief of Gardaí that Mr Connors “would commit further serious offences” if granted bail, and there would be “a risk of further loss of life” to the general public if the accused was given bail.
Mr Connor’s solicitor John Herbert said his instructions from Mr Connors were that the accused would abide by any bail conditions imposed.
Judge John King said the charges were “very serious” and refused bail, remanding Mr Connors in custody to appear before Limerick District Court for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions on December 3.
