Lucky escape for local man as stolen jeep crashes in Westport

BUSINESS AS USUAL?McGreevy’s Newsagency remains open despite the damage cause to its main door.

Lucky escape for local man as stolen jeep crashes in Westport

Neill O’Neill

LAST Wednesday’s serious traffic incident at McGreevy’s Newsagents was not the work of a gang travelling in convoy into Westport as has been suggested, rather it seems it came about as a result of joy-riding.
Local man SeΡmus Walsh had a lucky escape when his car was impacted on the passenger side at high speed by a jeep, as he crossed the Bridge Street junction on the South Mall in Westport shortly after 7am. The collision sent his vehicle into a spin, and it struck a street light before ending up smashed through the front doors of McGreevy’s Newsagents.
Emergency services personnel who rushed to the scene described it as ‘a miracle’ that nobody was seriously injured, and though Mr Walsh was taken to Mayo General Hospital, he was back at home in Westport later that day. As our pictures illustrate, both vehicles were completely destroyed by the impact.
The driver of the jeep, which had been stolen from outside a private residence at Sheeaune in Westport shortly before the crash, fled the scene in another car, which had been travelling at speed behind it. That car had earlier been stolen in Ballina. A man was arrested in connection with the incident in north Mayo several hours later, and Gardaí are following a definite line of inquiry regarding the incident and the other driver.
Gardaí have since stated that suggestions that the collision occurred after a gang of would-be-thieves came to Westport looking to indulge in criminal activity are wide of the mark. Traffic in Westport was brought to a standstill as Bridge Street remained closed for a number of hours following the crash.