A FORMER bus driver has admitted that a 62-year-old mother died of multiple injuries as a result of a crash involving her car and a bus he took without authority on a rampage through west Dublin two years ago.
Peter Clarke (38), of Kiltalown Court, Tallaght, is on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges arising out of what the jury was told was “an odyssey of destruction”, resulting in Marie Buckley’s death.
Defence counsel Hugh Hartnett SC made the admissions to the jury on behalf of his client on day two of the trial, during which evidence was given that gardaí believed they were going to be killed as a result of the bus crashing into patrol cars and dragging them along.
Mr Hartnett read out the admissions that Mr Clarke took a 53- seater coach without permission from the Dualways Bus Company depot and collided with numerous vehicles, resulting in Ms Buckley’s death “from multiple injuries consistent with being dragged along the road as the bus ploughed through vehicles”.
He said his client also admitted driving at gardaí as they attempted to employ a stinger device to deflate the bus tyres, and that he produced a knife, knuckle-duster and hatchet while violently resisting arrest.
Garda Paul Comerford told prosecuting counsel Pauline Walley SC that he saw Mr Clarke “snarl” and drop his head just before he veered right on the Naas Road and rammed into Garda cars.
David McConn, the accused’s former boss at Dualways, said he asked for a day off to attend an interview for the priesthood which was scheduled for the day before the incident on May 7th, 2006. He then told him a day after the interview that he missed the application deadline.
Mr McConn said Mr Clarke had resigned from his job in August 2005 to drive trucks in America.
He said he got a call from Mr Clarke in March 2006 looking for his job back. Mr McConn said the accused turned up in the bus depot a few days later and was joking and showing off his tan to staff.
Mr McConn noted that this was unusual behaviour for Mr Clarke, who was normally withdrawn.
He said Mr Clarke told him he often slept in the trucks he drove from Utah to Los Angeles because the company there didn’t pay his expenses.
The trial continues before Judge Desmond Hogan and a jury of eight women and four men.