Man faces dangerous driving charge after death of woman

A man has been remanded in custody to appear at Clover Hill District Court next week on a charge of dangerous driving in relation to a crash in north Co Dublin on Wednesday in which a woman in her 80s was killed.

The crash happened at High Rock on the Coast Road between Portmarnock and Malahide at 9.45am.

Three cars were involved in the collision.

Elizabeth Gallagher, who was driving one of the cars, was taken to Beaumont Hospital where she died of her injuries. No one else was injured.

Jevgenijs Aleksejevs (30), Sweetman's Farm, Skerries Road, Lusk, Co Dublin, told Dublin District Court yesterday that he was trying to overtake a car when the crash happened.

Speaking through an interpreter, he said that the car began to increase its speed when he tried to overtake it and prevented him from completing the manoeuvre.

Arresting Garda Rosemary Gallagher told the court that in his statement Mr Aleksejevs, who is from Latvia, said the car he was trying to overtake "provoked" him.

Making an application for refusal of bail, she said there was "high possibility of flight risk" in this case.

Garda Gallagher said Mr Aleksejevs had no ties to Ireland but had a wife and two children in Latvia.

While he had been charged in relation to dangerous driving, a file was being prepared for the DPP in relation to more serious charges.

Mr Aleksejevs's solicitor Seán Holt presented his client's passport to the court and said he had undertaken not to apply for another and to remain in the country for the duration of the case.

His client had no previous convictions, had fully co-operated with the gardaí and should be granted bail, he said.

Judge Hugh O'Donnell said an elderly woman had been killed in the crash, further more serious charges were pending and Mr Aleksejevs represented a "large risk" of flight.

"Three hundred and how many people were killed on the roads last year. Another one was killed on the 3rd of January. Your client admits he was on the wrong side of the road when the accident occurred.

"He has no ties to the country and there is a large risk of him absconding and he could face further more serious charges," Judge O'Donnell said.

He refused bail and remanded Mr Aleksejevs in custody to appear at Clover Hill District Court on January 11th.

Mr Aleksejevs was granted legal aid and the services of an interpreter.