Dundalk court: Dangerous driving and ramming garda car

A solicitor has told Dundalk District Court that his client  ‘out of his mind’ on drugs and had little recollection of ramming a garda patrol car.

Avram Hurmuz (22) St Mary’s Road, Dundalk, admitted five counts of dangerous driving on March 5th last at Oakland Park, Ecco Road, Newtown-bal-regan, Little Mills and Donaghmore, Kilkerley.

He also pleaded guilty to having €10 worth of cannabis at Little Mills and causing criminal damage to the rear bumper of a marked garda patrol car in Oakland Park.

The court heard last Wednesday how gardaí saw a red Vauxhall Astra parked in Marian Park in Dundalk shortly before 11pm.

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Its lights were turned off and it took-off into Oakland Park and failed to stop for gardaí after they activated the blue lights on their vehicle.

The patrol car got ahead before being rammed by the defendant, who left in the direction of Ecco Road, continuing to drive dangerously.

He overtook traffic on the Carrick Road and Castletown Road, drove on the wrong side at Newtownbalregan and in the centre of the road at Donaghmore, before he drove through a junction at Little Mills, before abandoning the car.

He failed in his attempt to flee on foot, and as gardaí got a strong smell of cannabis, they searched the car and recovered a small amount of the drug.

The Defence solicitor said his client had difficulties with drugs from the age of 17 and became dependent on cannabis and to a lesser extent cocaine, leading to a €300 per week habit.

He said the married father of two, who's from Romania and is employed by a coach builder, was “out of his mind with drugs” at the time and had little recollection of the incident.

Judge Eirinn McKiernan sentenced him to 220 hours community service in lieu of a four months jail term and disqualified from driving for two years.