AN SUV driver who crashed into a rental car near Swinford, Co Mayo, killing the driver, an American travel agent, was barefoot and possibly using a handheld mobile phone at the time of the impact, an inquest heard yesterday.
Annette Jean Scott (51) from Jackson, Wyoming, was pronounced dead at the scene a short time after the incident at Ballymiles, Swinford, on the evening of May 29th, 2009.
Ms Scott’s travelling companion, Chris Burnside, from Driggs, Idaho, was injured but has made a full recovery.
Both women, who worked for Aspen Travel, based in Jackson, Wyoming, were on holidays in Ireland when their hired car was struck by the vehicle, driven by Declan Gallagher of The Green, Moyglore, Maynooth, Co Kildare.
A third car was also involved in the crash, which occurred on the N5 main Dublin to Westport road, but the occupants of that vehicle were not seriously injured.
At the inquest into Ms Scott’s death in Castlebar, a number of witnesses said Gallagher was not wearing any socks or shoes when he stepped from his vehicle after the impact.
Sgt Richard Taheny said mobile phone records showed Gallagher had made 83 calls between Maynooth and the crash scene.
The phone records suggested that at the time of the impact or very close to it Gallagher had been using the mobile, which was a hand-held unit.
He denied to gardaí that he was using the phone at the time of the crash. He could only recall talking to his five-year-old son, who was with him, and his vehicle veering across the road.
Coroner John O’Dwyer said Gallagher had pleaded guilty at the Circuit Criminal Court last July to dangerous driving causing death. Judge Raymond Groarke imposed a three-year prison sentence suspended for three years. Gallagher was also banned from driving for 10 years.
A jury returned a verdict of accidental death.