A PASSENGER in a stolen car which yesterday struck a young garda in Donegal, leaving him fighting for his life, was free on temporary release from prison.
The man was allowed out a week ago on compassionate leave from Castlerea Prison.
The 19-year-old man, on temporary release from prison, was part-way through a nine-month sentence for a number of petty crimes. He was due back inside yesterday afternoon at 4pm, less than 12 hours after the incident in which Garda Robbie McCallion was knocked down.
While questions were being raised last night over special leave for prisoners before completing their jail terms, there was a national outpouring of sympathy for Garda McCallion (29) and his family, which has a long history of service to the force.
The Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, said he was outraged by the incident.
“What occurred near Letterkenny this morning was the actions of a mindless individual who appeared intent on inflicting serious injury if not death.
“This brave young garda and his colleagues were carrying out their duties in the interests of public safety. The driver of the vehicle involved behaved in such a reckless manner that he had absolutely no regard for human life.
“I will remain in close contact with senior Garda management on this matter.”
Garda McCallion’s older brother, John, is a garda in Ballina, Co Mayo. Their retired father, Bob, was for many years a garda in Swinford, Co Mayo, where the brothers and their two sisters grew up.
Garda McCallion, accompanied by two colleagues, was investigating a report of a stolen car in Letterkenny at 4.40am yesterday when tragedy struck.
As he stepped from the patrol car at the Tara Court housing estate off the Ramelton Road, he was struck by a stolen car, a red Peugeot, which drove straight at him and which gardaí were attempting to block from leaving the estate.
Garda McCallion was pinned against a wall and sustained serious head and arm injuries.
He was rushed to Letterkenny General Hospital, and transferred by ambulance to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.
The driver, a 17-year-old, was arrested at the scene. A blood sample was taken and sent for examination on suspicion of drink-driving.
His passenger fled on foot but was arrested near the Silver Tassie Hotel on the road to Milford.
The Peugeot and another car at the scene, a 15-year-old white Toyota Corolla with a “for sale” sign in the window, were later examined by Garda crash and forensics experts. Initial examination indicated an intention to steal the Corolla by attaching a rope to it from the Peugeot and towing it silently away. A second garda sustained minor arm injuries and a third officer was uninjured.
The driver and his passenger were taken to Garda stations at Letterkenny and Milford for questioning.
Members of Garda McCallion’s family and his girlfriend were joined at the hospital in Letterkenny by the Garda northern district commander, Assistant Commissioner Michael Feehan.