Transport

Lorry driver who ‘dozed off’ and missed Donegal home by inches put off road for two years

Arturas Plutusevicius’s lorry crashed through garden of house near Newtwoncunningham on January 3rd, 2022

Solicitor for the accused said there had been a momentary lapse of concentration and that Plutusevicius had dozed off at the wheel. Photograph: NW newspix

Stephen Maguire
Wed Sep 6 2023 - 11:50

A lorry driver who ploughed through a family’s garden and missed hitting their home by inches after “dozing off” behind the wheel has been put off the road for two years.

Arturas Plutusevicius’s lorry crashed through the garden of the two-storey house at Killyverry, Newtwoncunningham, Co Donegal on the morning of January 3rd, 2022.

The articulated lorry careered through a garden gate, across a lawn but came to a standstill just inches from the front wall of the house.

The accused man appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with dangerous driving.

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Arturas Plutusevicius at Letterkenny District Court. Photograph: NW Newspix

The court heard that nobody was injured following the incident but the driver had been taken to Letterkenny University Hospital to be examined.

The 46-year-old accused was charged with dangerous driving over the incident which happened at 6.45am on January 3rd, 2022.

Solicitor for the accused, Ms Donna Crampsie, said there had been a momentary lapse of concentration and that Plutusevicius had dozed off at the wheel. She said her client was very remorseful over the incident.

Her client had been off for two days before the incident and worked unsociable hours adding that it took him some time to get back into his flow.

Plutusevicius, of Blackthorn Lodge, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was accompanied to court by his employer.

Judge Eiteain Cunningham said it was the fact that the accused came back tired after two days off work which concerned her.

“Days off are to recuperate,” Judge Cunningham said.

Judge Cunningham fined the accused €250 and disqualified him from driving for two years, postponed until January 1st, 2024.

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