A 25-YEAR-OLD Donegal man went on trial yesterday charged with dangerous driving causing the deaths of three people in 2005.
Niall McGrath, of Grahamstown, Ballintra, Co Donegal, pleaded not guilty to the charges linked with a fatal traffic collision at Ballynacarrick on the N15 Ballyshannon to Donegal town road, on September 11th 2005.
He also denies a fourth charge of reckless endangerment.
Damien Quigg (49), a carpenter from Dungiven, Derry, his wife Teresa and Nora McGee (74) from Gortahork all died in the crash.
Opening the case against Mr McGrath, barrister Patricia McLoughlin described the incident as "horrific".
The court was told Mr McGrath had been travelling by motorcycle from Ballyshannon to Donegal town when he was involved in a collision with a Volkswagen Polo, which in turn collided with a lorry.
Ms McLoughlin said the motorbike collided with the Ford Mondeo in which the Quiggs were travelling causing it to move across the road and into the path of the oncoming car in which Mrs McGee was a passenger.
The court heard that it was the prosecution's case that the entire incident unfolded as a result of the initial impact.
The prosecution alleges that the crash was caused by Mr McGrath's speed, his position on the road and his failure to heed the amount of traffic on the N15 that day.
Seven witnesses gave evidence yesterday.
The court heard from Róisín Goss, the driver of the Volkswagen Polo, who spoke of how she overtook an articulated lorry which she maintained had pulled into the hard shoulder, a claim which the driver of the lorry, John Mohan, earlier disputed.
Ms Goss said the road had been clear as she began to overtake, when she saw what she described as a "black figure" on a motorbike on her side of the road which then collided with her car.
"It happened so fast it did not seem real" she said.
One witness told the court that he had seen Ms Goss cross the white line when she overtook the lorry. Ms Goss maintained that this did not happen.
Some witnesses described a "surreal" large cloud of smoke, dust and debris in the wake of the collision, while others recounted seeing a motorcyclist "flying through the air".
The trial continues today.