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Joint probe into fatal
Muff crash
05.09.08
THE Garda Ombudsman and
Gardai in Inishowen have launched parallel
investigations into a fatal crash in the border
village of Muff earlier today.
A 22-year old man, named locally as Paul McMonagle,
Galliagh, Derry, died following the collision while
another man, believed to be his father, was injured. |
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While no official
details were confirmed as the joint investigation
got underway, it is understood Gardai were in
pursuit of the car, a white Vauxhall Cavalier,
prior to the accident which happened around 1am.
It is also understood a third man in his late 30s,
who is known to Gardai, got out of the Cavalier
along the main road a short time before the accident
and ran away through fields. |
This stretch of road, about 2km from Muff village,
was also cordoned off and was forensically examined.
One local resident, who did not want to be
identified, heard the impact of the crash from the
front living room of his home.
"I was reading in the sitting room at the front of
the house. I first heard a siren and then heard what
sounded like a car flying past the house. I then
heard a big crunching sound and thought to myself
'that doesn't sound good'".
"I walked out to the front gate and looked around. I
saw the car overturned on its roof and then I saw a
guard radioing for help,” he said.
Gardai described the incident as a single-vehicle
accident and said the car had collided with the
stone-clad wall of the Texaco petrol station
forecourt.
"Two men were brought to Letterkenny General
Hospital following the collision and the passenger,
a 22 year old male, was pronounced dead on arrival.
Injuries to the second man are not believed to be
life threatening," said gardai in a statement.
The main road through Muff was closed to traffic
today while diversions were put in place. The petrol
station was also closed to customers as the joint
Garda and Ombudsman investigation continued. Gardai
have appealed for any witnesses to come forward. |
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