THE GARDA Ombudsman Commission and gardaí in Co Donegal have started parallel investigations into a fatal crash in the Border village of Muff early yesterday.
A 22-year-old man from Derry died following the incident while another man, believed to be the victim’s father, was injured.
The deceased was named locally as Paul McMonagle from the Galliagh area of Derry.
It is understood that a Garda car was involved in a pursuit at the time of the incident, which occurred at about 1am.
The scene of the incident was cordoned off for forensic examination.
A local resident, who did not want to be identified, heard the impact of the crash from the front living room of his home.
“I was reading in the sitting room at the front of the house. I first heard a siren and then heard what sounded like a car flying past the house. I then heard a big crunching . . . I walked out to the front gate and looked around. I saw the car overturned on its roof and then I saw a guard radioing for help,” he said.
Gardaí said that the car had crashed into the wall of a Texaco petrol station forecourt.
“Two men were brought to Letterkenny General Hospital following the collision and the passenger, a 22-year-old male, was pronounced dead on arrival. Injuries to the second man are not believed to be life threatening,” said gardaí.
The main road through Muff was closed to traffic for much of the day while diversions were put in place. The petrol station was also closed.