Driver hit pregnant woman and broke her legs

Driver hit pregnant woman and broke her legs


A Castlebar man has been convicted of careless driving after he crashed into a woman who was six months pregnant, breaking both her legs.
Michael Hoban of 1 Meadow Park, Castlebar, appeared before Castlebar District Court on Wednesday last where he pleaded guilty to careless driving.
Garda Conor Doyle told the court that when he arrived at the scene of the accident at Cosgrave’s Garage forecourt on the Westport Road in Castlebar on October 1, 2013, Patricia Flynn of Aghagower, Westport, was being treated by paramedics at the time.
Both of Ms Flynn’s legs were broken. Although she was six months pregnant at the time, there was no damage to her unborn baby. However, Ms Flynn is ‘still suffering to this day’ as a result of her leg injuries, Garda Doyle said.
Garda Doyle said it appeared the accident happened when Ms Flynn was filling her car with fuel. Mr Hoban, who was taking his place in a queue for a fuel pump, ‘attempted to brake but inadvertently put his foot on the accelerator, resulting in the collision’.
Defending solicitor Pat Moran said Michael Hoban was a retired man who had worked in forestry and had ‘driven all his life’. He said Mr Hoban had ‘put his two hands up from the beginning’ and had never been in court before.
He said Mr Hoban was ‘not entirely sure what happened’ but said conditions were wet and he appeared to have ‘panicked’ leading to ‘a very, very unfortunate accident’.
Judge Deirdre Gearty said accidents like this are ‘so likely to happen’ in congested areas like petrol forecourts. She said in light of the way the case was met fairly by Mr Hoban, she would not impose a driving disqualification. She convicted him and fined him €500.