The village of St Johnston in Co Donegal has been hit by another fatal road accident, marking the fourth life taken on these roads since this past Saturday. This latest accident, which left a local woman in her 80s dead, transpired on Church Street about 2pm on Friday afternoon and involved a lorry and a pedestrian. The emotional impact on the close-knit community is palpable and a sense of sorrow is evident amongst the lady’s friends and neighbours.
Up to now, this year’s road-related fatalities in Donegal have totaled twelve, outstripping last year’s total by two. The bleak week had started off on Saturday evening around 11.15pm with a lone-car collision in Cross, Quigley’s Point involving two cousins. Kian Dawson, just 16-years-old, was killed immediately whilst his cousin Eoghan, 20, suffered severe injuries and was immediately taken to Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. Unfortunately, Eoghan passed away on Tuesday.
The following Sunday morning in Inver in south Donegal, a further two-vehicle incident left an 87-year-old woman, Elizabeth Cave from Donegal Town, with serious injuries. Transported to Sligo University Hospital, she sadly succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday. Consequently, an Austrian man has been charged with reckless driving in relation to the incident culminating in Ms Cave’s death.
With reference to the latest tragedy, an official Garda spokesperson stated, “Post 2pm, the Gardaí and emergency services were called to the scene of the accident where a woman in her 80s had been hit by a lorry on Church Street in the village. She was unfortunately declared dead shortly afterwards.”
The spokesperson further stated that the Coroner has been notified and her body will be transferred for postmortem examination at Letterkenny Hospital. Meanwhile, the driver of the lorry was found unharmed. As investigations continue, the road remains closed with local detours in action, and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has been alerted. Gardaí inquiries are currently ongoing and any witnesses are requested to step forward.
This incident has shot the national count of road fatalities this year up to 127, two more than same day last year.