Woman presents herself over Ennis hit and run

A woman today presented herself at Ennis Garda station to tell gardaí she drove over a body lying on a road in a residential area of Ennis on Wednesday night.

The woman presented herself at the station before lunchtime after gardaí made a public appeal in relation to a suspected hit and run in the Tobertaoscain area of Ennis.

The victim is understood to be a 38-year old Polish man who is believed to have been living in the Tobertaoscain area.

The incident took place at around 10pm on Wednesday evening near a speed bump on the road close to St Flannan’s College and the woman was formally interviewed by gardaí in relation to her version of events.

Tonight at the Midwest Regional Hospital in Limerick, State pathologist, Prof Marie Cassidy is carrying out a post mortem on the remains of the man. The post mortem will determine how the man died and should be able to confirm if a car drove over him while lying on the ground. Prof Cassidy had earlier visited the scene of the suspected hit and run where gardaí carried out a forensic examination.

Gardaí were today conducting house to house inquires in an effort to find out what occurred and to locate the vehicle involved in the accident.

Fianna Fáil transport spokesman and Clare TD, Timmy Dooley is to seek Private Members time in the Dáil next week to present a draft bill aimed at increasing Garda powers and to introduce stiffer penalties around the offence of hit and run.

Deputy Dooley said that he was seeking jail terms of up to 10 years for those convicted of leaving the scene of an accident and to allow gardaí take blood and urine samples for alcohol for up to 24 hours after an accident as opposed to the current limit of three hours.

He said: “Garda powers need to be strengthened in this area. The fatal incident in Ennis is all the more tragic as it concerns someone living away from his own country. I would like to extend my sympathy to the man’s family.”