Man charged over fatal Mayo crash after extradition from US

A man from the west of Ireland extradited from the US overnight, appeared before Castlebar District Court on Thursday morning on a charge of dangerous driving causing death.

Francis Carr, Cappaghduff, Tourmakeady, Co Mayo, was the driver of a car involved in a crash 3½ years ago which claimed the lives of his passengers, Orla O'Malley (18), Cross, Co Mayo, and Seán Halloran (20), Clonbur, Co Galway.

Ms O'Malley, a student nurse, was a back-seat passenger and Mr Halloran was in the front seat of the car which crashed into a wall at Churchfield, Tourmakeady, in the early hours of June 4th, 2017.

The trio had been returning from a Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta GAA event in Tourmakeady when the crash occurred.

Subsequent to the crash, Mr Carr, who was seriously injured, left for the US. He has not returned since.

However, he was arrested on foot of an extradition warrant this summer and held in custody since.

He was extradited from the US overnight and was arrested when his flight arrived at Dublin Airport early on Thursday.

Sgt Margaret O'Connor told Judge Fiona Lydon the accused said "no reply" when charged.

Vincent Deane, state solicitor for Mayo, said the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment in the matter.

Mr Deane asked for a return for trial to the next sitting of Castlebar Circuit Court on January 26th.

Solicitor Tom Walsh, for Mr Carr, told the court there was no application for bail. The accused was prepared to remain in custody, he said.

Mr Walsh requested and was granted free legal aid for his client who, he said, was a young man who had been in the custody of the American authorities for a considerable period of time and had no employment in Ireland.