Jail for man found drunk among 22 empty beer cans after high speed car chase

A man found drunk among 22 empty beer cans in a car after he crashed into a wall following a high speed chase has been jailed for three years.

William Lawrence (36), of Cloncovid, Kilcogy, Co Cavan, was sentenced at Longford Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday over the incident on March 22nd, 2021 in Longford town. He previously pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment, two counts of dangerous driving and to driving without insurance.

The court heard that gardaí responding to reports of a suspected drunk driver saw the grey Peugeot saloon Lawrence was driving reversing at high speed in the O’Connor Park area without any regard to oncoming traffic.

Gardaí attempted to intercept the car as it went down St Mel’s Road and towards a busy junction along the Ballinalee Road. When the car was held up in traffic, two gardaí exited the patrol car to try to speak to the accused, but Lawrence started to reverse and mounted a kerb.

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Garda Ronan Duffy attempted to open the driver’s side door, but, as he did so, the accused drove straight at him.

“This was an extremely dangerous manoeuvre which endangered the life of Garda Duffy,” said Judge Keenan Johnson.

The court was also told that during the effort to apprehend Lawrence, Garda John Hanley reached in the driver’s window to try to take the keys out of the ignition. The accused then “revved the engine” and drove off at speed, resulting in Garda Hanley’s hand becoming caught in the window, almost dragging him along the road.

The chase, which lasted a total of 13 minutes, eventually ended when the accused lost control and crashed into a wall near a creche.

Gardaí found 22 empty Carlsberg cans inside the vehicle when they removed Lawrence, who was taken by ambulance to hospital. A blood alcohol specimen was taken 2½ hours later and it showed he was 10½ times over the legal limit.

Lawrence told gardaí that he could not remember the incident due to his level of intoxication, adding that he had been drinking for two days beforehand.

The court heard Garda Hanley suffered serious injuries as a result of the episode and has not returned to duty since.

“I felt I was going to be killed and I still see it to this day,” he said, adding how the incident had left him unable to help out at home in caring for his two young children.

Judge Johnson said it was clear that the accused was “out of control” and it was only down to sheer luck that no one was killed. He sentenced Lawrence to 4½ years in prison, suspending the final 18 months for a period of four years.