Man dies in Garda car in Mayo

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is investigating the death of a man who fell unresponsive in the back of a Garda car and later died.

The incident occurred in Castlebar, Co Mayo.

The dead man has been named as Pauraic O’Donnell, a 39-year-old from Achill Sound, Co Mayo. He was a single man and had one child.

Mr O’Donnell was arrested after gardaí were called to investigate a disturbance at Cox’s Bar in Castlebar at 1am this morning.

Gardaí arrested Mr O’Donnell outside the pub and restaurant and put him into their Garda car after he had apparently been ejected from the premises by staff. He was then driven the short distance to Castlebar Garda station where he was to be detained.

However, when gardaí tried to take him from the car into the station, he was unresponsive. Gardaí performed CPR on Mr O’Donnell in the Garda car until an ambulance arrived to  take him to Castlebar General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Garda informed the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission of the death, as it is legally obliged to in any case where death or injury to a person occurs while in Garda custody or during any other form of contact with a member of the force.

The ombudsman's office appealed for anyone who was in Cox’s Bar last night or may have seen Mr O’Donnell in the area to contact them.