Crash driver extradited from US to face charges

After being extradited from the US overnight, a Tourmakeady man appeared before a sitting of Castlebar District Court last Thursday morning charged with dangerous driving causing death.
Francis Carr of Cappaghduff, Tourmakeady, is charged with being the driver of a car involved in a traffic collision in June 2017 that claimed the lives of two people.
SeΡn Halloran (20) of Clonbur, a front-seat passenger of the car, and Orla O’Malley (18) of Cross, both died when the car left the road and struck a wall at Churchfield, Tourmakeady, at around 4am on Sunday, July 4.
The trio had been returning from the Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta GAA tournament which was being held at the local GAA grounds in Tourmakeady over the Bank Holiday Weekend when the crash occurred.
Mr Carr, who received serious but not life-threatening injuries in the crash, left for the US after the crash. He returned for the first time last Thursday having being arrested on foot of an extradition warrant during the summer.
He was held in custody in the US until he was extradited from America last Thursday and arrested upon his arrival at Dublin Airport.
Sergeant Margaret O’Connor, who arrested Mr Carr at 6.49am at the airport, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution at Thursday’s sitting. She told the court that the accused said ‘no reply’ when charged.
Mr Vincent Deane, state solicitor, said that the DPP directed a trial on indictment and asked Judge Fiona Lydon for a return for trial to the next sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court on January 26. Defending solicitor Mr Tom Walsh told the court that they would not be applying for bail and that the accused was prepared to remain in custody.
An application for legal aid was granted, along with one junior counsel, as Mr Walsh explained that his client had been in the custody of the American authorities for a considerable period of time and is not employed in Ireland.