German tourist crashed head-on into garda car

A GERMAN tourist who was lost and driving on the wrong side of the road along narrow roads near Killala crashed into a garda patrol car, a court heard.

Christian Knuge (36) of Brandenburg, Germany appeared before a special sitting of Castlebar District Court this afternoon where he pleaded guilty to careless driving at Rathbaun, Killala, the previous evening, Thursday, September 28. The court heard that Mr Knuge had been driving a rental car from Killala towards Ballycastle when he drove on the wrong side of the road after crossing the narrow Palmerstown Bridge.

Sergeant Kieran Lavelle told Judge Fiona Lydon that Mr Knuge had travelled for around 100 metres on the incorrect side when he collided head on with a garda car after going around a bend.

Judge Lydon heard that Mr Knuge and his friends were returning from a restaurant at around 9.30pm and had got lost returning to their AirBnB. They stopped the car to look at a map and after resuming their journey, they crossed the Palmerstown Bridge which only has room for a single vehicle.

Sgt Lavelle accepted that Mr Knuge had mistakenly veered onto the right side of the road after crossing the bridge before colliding with the garda car.

The court heard that the garda was brought to hospital but did not sustain any serious injuries and Mr Knuge and his companions were also unharmed.

When questioned by Mr Mark Loftus, solicitor for Mr Knuge, Sgt Lavelle said it was a dark night and the collision had occurred at low speed. Mr Knuge, he said, was also tested for alcohol and drugs and was negative for both.

Mr Loftus said his client had arrived in the country two days previously and said what happened could 'happen to any one of us'. He said they got lost on a narrow road on a dark night and made the 'innocent mistake' of going onto the wrong side of the road.

Mr Loftus said his client had no previous convictions and there was no speed or alcohol involved in the collision and Mr Knuge admitted responsibility straight away.

“This was a holiday he will never forget,” Mr Loftus said and asked Judge Lydon not to impose a disqualification.

Judge Lydon agreed not to impose a disqualification and fined Mr Knuge €500 for careless driving.