Man who lost 'beautiful souls' does not want driver 'consumed by guilt'
The 'heartfelt' message, written by Arnaud Tournié, who is French-based, was read in full by the coroner for Mayo, Eleanor Fitzgerald, at a hearing in Ballina into the deaths of Aisling Moore, a 46-year-old beautician, and her eight-year-old daughter Abbigael Tournié Moore on July 2, 2024.
The mother and daughter, who lived in Swinford, were travelling on the N26 between Foxford and Swinford in a Toyota car when they were involved in a collision with a Scania truck tractor unit and trailer at Callow, Foxford, and died instantly after suffering devastating injuries.
The pair had earlier enjoyed a break at the Ocean Sands Hotel in Enniscrone and intended returning there, according to John Burke, the hotel's accommodation manager, who chatted with Aisling before she set out on her ill-fated journey.
In his evidence to Thursday's inquest, the West Coast Express truck driver, Martin Crean, said he had been travelling towards Foxford with a 45ft trailer when the car came around a bend at speed on the wrong side of the road.
'I thought it possible to go into a side road, but the vehicle kept coming towards me," Mr Crean said.
Mr Crean gave details of harrowing scenes at the impact site, and said he had been traumatised and shocked by the accident and what he witnessed afterwards.
In a deposition read to the hearing, eyewitness PJ Wall said he had been travelling to Swinford to pick up a generator travelling behind a silver car when the car went on the wrong side while negotiating a left hand bend.
Mr Wall said the driver of the car tried to correct herself, but the truck hit her and pushed her along the road before jack-knifing and pushing the car into a ditch.
No defects
Sergeant Gabriel McLoughlin examined both vehicles in the aftermath of the collision. In a written statement read to the inquest by Sergeant Sean McHale, Sgt McLoughlin outlined no defects had been found in either vehicle that would have contributed to the collision.
Pathologist Tamas Nemeth gave evidence that the medical cause of death in Aisling's case was extensive fatal injuries including multiple fractures and head injuries.
The medical cause of Abbigael's death was extensive head injuries sustained in a road traffic accident.
After recording verdicts of accidental deaths in both cases, the coroner read into the record Arnaud Tournié's letter to Mr Crean.
Mr Tournié wrote: 'No words can express the depth of my grief. Yet, despite this immense pain, I want you to know I do not hold you responsible for this tragedy.
'I want to extend my heartfelt support to you. I know you must carry this image with you every day, and that it cannot be easy for you or your loved ones.
'I do not want you to be consumed by guilt, because this accident was neither the result of any wrongdoing or negligence on your part.
'You did what you could and no one is ever truly prepared for such a moment — unfathomable and unfair — for all of us.
'Please receive these words as a gesture of compassion, of humanity, and, I hope, a small measure of solace.
'I wish you with time the inner peace needed to move forward and to honour, in your own way, the memory of these two beautiful souls.'
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