Galway Advertiser 2008/GA_2008_10_16/GA_1610_E1_001.pdf 

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Thursday October 16 2008

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Driver could not explain high speed lunchtime car chase through
Car chase was the `stuff of nightmares' says shocked Judge
BY MARTINA NEE A Galwayman could give no explanation why he led gardai on a dangerous lunchtime chase through the city during which he collided with a car, pushed another out of his way, mounted footpaths, and was only brought to an abrupt halt by a Garda jeep which pulled out in front of him at a busy roundabout. The out-of-control driver, Peadar Tonery (25) with an address at 7 Ce Ne Mara, Dock Road, pleaded guilty to seven counts of dangerous driving at various locations. He also pleaded guilty to hit and run offences at Walter Macken Road, failure to stop after being required to do so by gardai at Clark Avenue, and driving without insurance. Inspector Mick Coppinger told the court that on January 18, 2008, gardai on patrol in the Bohermore area noticed that the defendant was driving his vehicle without wearing a seat belt. At Monivea Road the Garda officers activated the blue lights and followed the defendant through Clark Avenue and Wolfe Tone Avenue but the defendant failed to stop. At Michael Collins Road the Garda patrol jeep was forced to chase the defendant who at this point was driving on the wrong side of the road and dangerously overtaking cars. The inspector said that at Walter Macken Road the defendant's car mounted the footpath in an attempt to avoid the patrol car. When another car was coming towards the defendant he pushed this car out of his way to get away and the patrol car was forced to chase the defendant further up Ballybane Road. The defendant then sped away and mounted the footpath at GMIT. Tonery then entered Skerritt roundabout dangerously, went towards Merlin Park forcing other cars to pull in at the bus lane to avoid him, and went through the red lights. The gardai then lost Tonery but then received reports of a vehicle, heading towards Carnmore Cross, which had collided with a car at the roundabout near Western Motors. When gardai arrived they were forced to pull their jeep in front of the defendant's car in order to stop him. -- Continued on Page 2

Best buddies? It's amazing what an auld free trip to the sun can do to lighten the mood. The above picture has not been artificially altered in any way. In a rare photograph, pictured together and laughing are Cllr Catherine Connolly, Mayor Padraig Conneely, and city manager Joe McGrath in the council chamber in Valencia, Spain. The happy group were in Spain for the start of the Volvo Ocean Race. For more coverage, see page 42.

Man denies involvement in death of NUIG student
BY CAITLIN O'HANLON

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An Omagh man has denied his involvement in the death of an NUI Galway student who was killed in a three car collison in Fermanagh in December 2006. Edward Cassidy (56), was in court in Enniskillen last week accused of causing the death of 24-year-old MA in journalism student Donna Ferguson. The popular graduate student, who was best known on campus as the founding editor of the student magazine Stir, was killed when her car, a van, and a lorry were involved in a crash near Boa Island on the morning of December 5 2006. In court Mr Cassidy denied causing

death by dangerous driving, as well as two counts of causing grievous bodily injury to the two men who were in the third vehicle. He is due to go on trial in Dungannon next month. Originally from Belleek, Co Fermanagh, Donna was a talented upand-coming journalist. The morning of the accident she had been on her way to work at Omagh's Q101 Radio Network where she had arranged for employment over the holiday season. In her memory, the Donna Marie Ferguson Memorial Award will be presented in NUI, Galway each year to honour the student who excels in the area of broadcast journalism in the MA in journalism.

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