A teenage boy who struck and killed a Deliveroo cyclist after breaking a red light while driving above the speed limit has been remanded in juvenile detention for two years.
The boy (17), who cannot be named for legal reasons, was aged 16 when he struck and killed Thiago Cortes (28) on August 31st last. The boy drove away from the scene before he and other passengers abandoned the car and fled.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the car was travelling at an estimated 79km/h on North Wall Quay at the time of impact. The speed limit was 50km/h.
The boy pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and to failing to report the incident. He has no previous convictions.
Judge Martin Nolan on Thursday imposed a sentence of two years detention in a juvenile facility. He ordered that the boy be given credit for any time already served. He said it was not the case that the offence came from a lack of attention or care, it was “active bad driving”.
In her victim impact statement, which she read to the court, Mr Cortes’ fiancee Teresa Dantas Oliveira (29) said she can “never fully explain what I am feeling” or how “the loss of Thiago has impacted my life”.
‘Prayed for a miracle’
Ms Oliveira said after the collision she “prayed for a miracle, but a miracle never came”. She said she was lucky enough to be by Mr Cortes’ side in his last hours and to hold his hand.
She said she had to tell his parents their son had been badly injured and was not going to make it. She said that saying those words hurt her deeply and that she felt she had failed to protect their son.
She said her future and “years of dreams” were taken away and she now had to learn to dream again. She said the most precious thing she had was taken from her and she will never be the same.
Det Sgt John Brady told Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that Mr Cortes came from Brazil to study English along with his Ms Oliveira and was working as a courier for the food delivery service Deliveroo at the time of his death.
Det Sgt Brady said Mr Cortes was attempting to turn right on North Wall Quay when the accused struck him with the car.
Evidence of breaking
The court heard that the traffic light had been red for two seconds prior to the collision and orange for three seconds prior to turning red. There was some evidence of breaking by the car just prior to the impact.
Mr Cortes was brought to hospital and attempts were made to resuscitate him, but he was pronounced dead on September 2nd last. The cause of death was found to be a severe traumatic brain.
A witness told gardaí she could hear loud music coming from the car prior to the incident with another saying they saw the car overtake a lorry at speed just prior to the collision.
The accused voluntarily attended at a garda station following his mother’s home being searched. He said he was available for arrest and interview, but that he had nothing to say.