A motorcyclist was killed in a hit-and-run in Co Carlow on Wednesday night with a car involved found burnt out at the scene, gardaí say.
The man has been named locally as Tom Connors, who is in his 30s from Bunclody, Co Wexford. He has a young family. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
It is understood that Mr Connors had absconded from an open prison in the days before his death.
He was one of five people who have died on the roads in Ireland in separate incidents in Dublin, Cork and Carlow in a 48-hour period.
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Gardaí say the car involved was found burnt out a short distance from the incident and a major investigation is now underway.
Gardaí are appealing for anyone on the Rathoe to Ballon road last night to contact them
Emergency services were alerted to the incident shortly before 11pm on Wednesday on a local road at Sandbook.
The body of the deceased was removed from the scene on Thursday which has been preserved for forensic and technical examination.
A senior investigating officer has been appointed and an incident room has been established at Carlow Garda station.
Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward. They particularly wish to hear from any road users with camera footage – including dashcam – who were travelling on the road between Rathoe and Ballon or the in surrounding areas, between 10pm and midnight on Wednesday, April 24th.
Anyone with information regarding the collision is asked to contact Carlow Garda station at 059 913 6620, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
It was the third road fatality on Wednesday and the fifth death on Irish roads within 48 hours.
On Wednesday morning, a female cyclist and a male motorcyclist were killed in road traffic incidents – both involving trucks – in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, and Toureenfineen, Co Cork.
Greta Price-Martin (22), a student at Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT), was killed at about 8am at the junction of the Glenageary Road Upper, Mountown Road Lower and Kill Avenue in Dún Laoghaire.
“The cyclist, a woman in her 20s, was taken to St Vincent’s hospital where she later passed away from her injuries,” An Garda Síochána said in a statement.
In Toureenfineen, shortly before 8am, a motorcyclist was fatally injured in a collision involving his bike and a truck.
The number of people who have died on Irish roads to date this year is 69. This is 18 more than the comparative figure of 51 at the equivalent time last year.
Former minister for transport Shane Ross has described the situation as “absolutely critical” and he blamed the absence of enforcement by gardaí as a contributing factor to the rise in road deaths.
“There aren’t enough gardaí on the roads,” he told Newstalk radio station.
“Enforcement is a big problem, but it’s not the only problem. The other problem is there is massive resistance from backbenchers in the two main political parties to get the measures we need in.”
He also suggested that people are becoming more lax about drink-driving.
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