Woman pleads guilty to causing injuries after car driven into crowd in Limerick

A 20-year old woman is to be sentenced at Limerick Circuit Court after pleading guilty to causing injury and endangering lives by driving a car into a crowd of people in Limerick city before fleeing the scene.

The incident, which occurred in the Cornmarket area on October 10th last, left three people in need of hospital treatment for serious injuries.

Chloe McNamara, of Sarsfield Gardens, Moyross, on Tuesday pleaded guilty at Limerick District Court to assault causing harm, intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm, endangerment, dangerous driving and failing to assist a pedestrian.

Video footage of the alleged hit and run incident was played for the judge when McNamara was charged over the incident last year. It showed an Audi A4, which gardaí alleged was driven by McNamara, driving into a group of pedestrians from behind and launching them into the air before leaving the scene.

Treating the injured

Garda Patricia McCormack of Henry Street station told the court that gardaí­ arrived at the scene at 1.10am, at which point paramedics were already treating two injured women and a man.

She said the man sustained “serious head and spinal injuries” and the two women suffered “serious neck and back injuries”.

A fourth pedestrian, a woman (19), later presented at University Hospital Limerick to receive treatment for minor injuries.

Gardaí found a red Audi A4 about 15 minutes after the incident at Knockalisheen near Moyross.

“There was blood visible on the front windscreen and bonnet of the car and it was seized for a technical examination,” said Garda McCormack, who objected to bail for McNamara who she alleged had shown “no concern for other people” during the incident.