Mulranny crash involving French man ‘chillingly familiar’

Mulranny car crash involving French tourist ‘chillingly familiar’


THE circumstances of how a French tourist crashed into another car while driving on the wrong side of the road was described as ‘chillingly familiar’ at last week’s sitting of Belmullet District Court.
Vincent Sanon, a French national, pleaded guilty to careless driving after he was involved in an accident while driving on the wrong side of the road just hours after arriving in the country. The incident took place on Monday, April 12, last in Mulranny, close to the scene of a fatal road traffic accident in 2008, when off-duty garda Yvonne Moran died after her car was struck by a French national driving on the wrong side of the road.
The case involving Mr Sanon marks the third time in recent years a French national has appeared before Judge Mary Devins after being involved in accidents while driving on the wrong side of the road. On hearing the evidence, Judge Devins commented that the incident ‘sounds chillingly familiar’ before fining him €250.
A logistics director with a supermarket chain in France, Mr Sanon arrived in Ireland with his wife and daughter on the morning of the accident. They were staying in Westport and had decided to go sightseeing.
While in Mulranny, Mr Sanon stopped to take some photographs and when he got back in the car he drove on the wrong side of the road. He travelled a short distance when he collided on a bend with Newport man Des Keane who was travelling from Achill to Mulranny at 5.41pm.
Mr Keane was the only person in his car. He suffered soft-tissue injuries as did Mr Sanon’s wife and daughter.
Mr James Ward, solicitor for the defendant said his client ‘thought he was back in France’ when he got back into his car, had only driven for ten seconds when the accident occurred and had tried to avoid the collision.
Mr Ward added that Mr Sanon hung his head when told of the previous accident in Mulranny.