Two separate investigations have been launched into the circumstances surrounding the death of a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a car crash shortly after gardaí tried to stop the vehicle.
Joseph Anderson, a sixth class student, was travelling in the car along with four other young teens when it crashed in the Lisclougher Great area of Delvin, Westmeath at 2.30am on Wednesday. He died at the scene.
Another boy remains in critical condition following the crash while the other three escaped with non-life threatening injuries.
It is understood one of the boys had taken their parents’ car without permission prior to the crash. Gardaí had been alerted about the vehicle driving erratically. An armed unit in the area later spotted it and signalled for it to pull over.
Investigators believe this caused the driver to panic and drive off before crashing shortly afterwards. Sources said the car was not being chased when the crash occurred.
The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) has launched an investigation into the Garda's interaction with the vehicle prior to the incident. This is standard protocol whenever a fatality occurs following an interaction with gardaí.
Garda Forensic Collision Investigators have also launched an inquiry and are appealing for anyone in in the area between 1.45am and 2.30am to contact Mullingar Garda Station or the Garda Confidential Line.
The five teenagers were from the towns of Delvin, Co Westmeath and Athboy, Co Meath where they were students at both primary and post-primary levels.
Joseph Anderson, from Devlin, was a sixth-class student in Clonmellon NS and was due to start post-primary school in September in Athboy, where at least one of the other boys is a student.
The boy fighting for his life with severe injuries in Mullingar General Hospital is a 15-year-old, also from Delvin and with strong Athboy family connections.
Chairman of Meath County Council and Athboy resident David Gilroy said the shock and disbelief of the tragedy had brought the town to a standstill.
“The town woke up to the news this morning and the shock and disbelief has brought it to a standstill. No-one can quite believe it.”
Gardaí are appealing to anyone with information, particularly any road users who may have dash cam footage of the area between 1.45am and 2.30am, to contact them at Mullingar on 044 938 4000 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
