Accidental death recorded in death of Kilmaine man

Anton McNulty

A VERDICT of accidental death was recorded in the death of a 74-year-old Kilmaine man who was run over by a car on the main Cross to Kilmaine road last December.
Michael Paul Murphy of Kilkeeran, Kilmaine died in Mayo General Hospital on December 22, 2014 after sustaining multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the accident which occurred a few hours previously.
The inquest into his death held in Castlebar yesterday heard that Mr Murphy’s car was parked 290 metres from where the accident occurred and the parking lights were on.
Louise Fahy told the inquest she was driving towards Kilmaine on Sunday, December 21 at 8.15pm when she noticed Mr Murphy’s blue Nissan Almera car parked on the left side of the road. As she passed the car and came around a bend she said she thought she ‘saw something black laying on the road’.
“It was something down low. I was on top of it as I saw it. I swerved the car to the right to avoid this thing I saw on the ground but I think I hit this thing with my left wheel,” she said.
Ms Fahy said she stopped the car to ring her fiancé, Joe Kelly and turned the car around to where she thought she hit something. When she got out of the car, she said she recognised Mr Murphy straight away and rang 999.
She later told gardaí that it was raining continually on the night and she was probably driving slower than normal because of this.
Garda John Doherty told the inquest that when he arrived at the scene at approximately 8.40pm, the casualty was lying in the middle of the road. He said he noticed that Mr Murphy was vomiting and was responsive to talk but did not open his eyes.
Mr Murphy was taken by ambulance to Mayo General Hospital but was pronounced dead at 12.50am.
Garda Doherty said a breath sample for alcohol from Ms Fahy proved negative and there was no evidence she was using her mobile phone at the time. He added that Mr Murphy was dressed in dark clothing.
SeΡn Murphy, grandson of the casualty, said he lived with his grandfather and explained he went to O’Malley’s pub in Cross at around 6pm. He added he was driving on the night and came across the accident. He said he went to his grandfather’s car and the parking lights were on and the key was in it. Mr Murphy said he started the car but it would not move.
Sergeant Gabriel McLoughlin said he examined the car and said the clutch was not working and it was not possible to move it.
Dr Fadel Bennani, Consultant Pathologist said Mr Murphy suffered haemorrhaging in the chest with multiple fractured ribs and extensive fracturing to the pelvis. He suffered no injuries to the skull. The blood alcohol reading was described as high. The cause of death he said was due to hemorrhagic shock due to multiple traumatic injuries.
The jury recored a verdict of accidental death and sympathy was expressed to Mr Murphy’s family and to Ms Fahy.