A woman in her 20s arrested as part of an investigation into a road-traffic incident that left a garda with life-changing injuries remained in custody on Sunday night.
Gardaí have renewed their appeal for witnesses after a motorist allegedly hit Insp Niall Flood who was out cycling off-duty and then drove on with one of the garda’s feet wedged in their car.
Insp Niall Flood, from Dromcollogher, Co Limerick, was found seriously injured on the R522, between Dromcollogher and Feohanagh, near Newcastle West, at about 7.15pm on Thursday.
Gardaí are working on a theory that the motorist panicked after the collision, left the scene and drove to a house where Insp Flood’s foot was found stuck in the car after it had been amputated in the collision and gardaí were alerted.
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A woman was arrested and she remained in custody, a Garda spokeswoman said on Sunday night, adding that the investigation was ongoing.
Insp Flood, who was stationed in Henry Street in Limerick city and in Newcastle West, was airlifted from the scene by the Irish Community Air Ambulance based in Rathcoole Aerodrome, Co Cork, to Cork University Hospital. He was said over the weekend to be in a serious but stable condition.
His foot was severed just below the shin bone above the ankle and he sustained multiple other injuries.
Gardaí are appealing to any person who may have witnessed the collision to contact them, including any road users who were travelling on the R522 between Dromcollogher and Feohanagh at the time of the incident with camera footage (including dash cam).
Anyone with information is asked to contact Henry Street Garda Station (061-212400) the Garda confidential line on (1800-666-666) or any Garda station.