Louth motorist with previous dangerous driving causing death conviction sentenced over high-speed crash

Irish Independent

06-06-2025

Peter Mohan, Rathkeelan Park, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh, pleaded guilty to a charge of endangerment stemming from a collision on the Castleblayney Road out of Dundalk, at Annavackey, Hackballscross, on November 2, 2023.
The defendant has a previous conviction for dangerous driving causing death for which he received a prison sentence and disqualification.
The impact in question occurred on a blind hillcrest and evidence was heard that the drivers only saw each other at the last second, with Mr Mohan on the wrong side of the road.
Gda Bernard Keown testified that a Volkswagen Passat containing two people was travelling from Crossmaglen to Dundalk at 7.40pm when the driver saw lights coming towards him.
He attempted to swerve but was hit by a Vauxhall Insignia driven by the accused. The Passat flipped and came to a stop in the middle of the road. His passenger got out and after crawling into the back of the car, the driver was able to get out through the same passenger door.
The passenger remembered the other vehicle on the wrong side of the road. There was not much time to react. It happened at the top of a hill, a blind hillcrest.
The speed limit was 80kmh and the road governed by a double continuous white line.
Gda Keown said that the Insignia was 'propelled' into a field.
Another driver gave a statement about Mr Mohan's car 'overtaking aggressively' forcing him into evasive action by slowing to make space so that there was no head-on collision.
A different man, behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Caddy, said that the Insignia overtook him at such speed his van 'shook'. He estimated it was doing 'over 100mph'.
He heard a bang and saw the Passat sliding on its roof. The defendant's car was in a field.
Mr Mohan was not at the scene having been taken to Daisy Hill Hospital by a car which pulled up. He was discharged the next morning.
His father had turned up at the scene and was sympathetic to the two young men in the other car.
That driver was taken by ambulance to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. He had cuts and bruises, pain to the right shoulder and back. He also had pain in his legs, and suffered nerve tingling in his hands and feet and found it difficult to concentrate for a number of months.
Gda Keown said that a blood sample taken from the Insignia matched the DNA of Mr Mohan.
He went to Dundalk Garda Station by arrangement and in an interview said that he couldn't remember what happened and woke up in hospital.
He had turned off the M1 alone in his father's car, a journey he made four or five times a week.
The court heard of four previous convictions, including for dangerous driving causing death for which an 18-month sentence and eight-year disqualification were imposed at Monaghan Circuit Court in 2002.
The other convictions were for dangerous driving reduced to careless driving and handling stolen property.
Gda Keown replied to senior counsel Garnet Orange, instructed by solicitor Ciarán Hughes, that from M1 Junction 17 to Hackballscross the road was wide and had a 100kmh speed limit.
Counsel submitted that a good stretch of road funneled into a bad stretch but that doesn't excuse Mr Mohan driving at 'grossly excessive speed'.
He had no reasonable explanation. A driver for a living, he was on his way home from work having driven from Wexford.
It could have gone an awful lot worse. There was no one to blame but him. He should have been 100% concentrating on driving. He was nearly home after a long drive.
The defendant wanted to apologise. He co-operated and his early plea of guilty must be of some value.
Letters from two physicians treating Mr Mohan's family were handed into court, as well as notes from him and his partner.
Their daughter had significant difficulties and health challenges and he was actively involved in looking after her.
Mr Orange said that the defendant was dealing with the mental and physical consequences of the collision.
Judge Dara Hayes said that this was a serious matter which he would finalise on July 30.