Man crashed into parked car after altercation with former partner
Portlaoise District Court
A DRIVER who crashed his car into another vehicle and drove off following an altercation with an ex-partner appeared at Portlaoise District Court last Thursday on a number of road traffic offences.
Before the court was Terry Fee from 4 New Road, Portlaoise.
He pleaded guilty to having no insurance, careless driving, having no driving license, no tax and a hit and run offence at Lyster Square, Portlaoise on 17 October.
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said that, following the incident the car drove off and left the scene.
When it was stopped, a woman said that she had been driving.
However, Sgt. Kirby said that CCTV coverage from the area showed that Mr Fee had been driving at the time of the incident.
He said the 35-year -old defendant had 83 previous convictions, 18 of which were related to road-traffic matters.
Defending solicitor Philip Meagher described the case as “somewhat unusual.”
Mr Meagher said that the area in Lyster Square is very well covered cy CCTV cameras.
On the day, Mr Meagher said, Mr Fee’s wife was bringing their child for a haircut and she had parked the car.
He said an ex-partner of Mr Fee’s had approached him and “some sort of an altercation took place between the two of them. He got into the driver’s seat and bumped into the side of a car when he was driving out and parked up again outside the chemist. He walked back to the car he had bumped into and left his details on its windscreen, that can be seen on CCTV coverage.
“His wife came out and they drove away.”
Mr Meagher said “it was Mr Fee who had flagged gardaí down and it was his wife who told gardaí that she had been driving, which he did not contest.”
Judge Andrew Cody was informed that the damage to the other car had not yet been paid to which he replied: “Mr Fee will have to pay for it and pay for it within 14 days,” before remanding him on continuing bail to 16 January for finalisation of the case.
