‘Oh God, why didn’t somebody take the keys off them?’
FOUR friends were killed in a horrific crash after their car left a narrow road and flew more than 20 metres into a field in Co. Donegal, an inquest has heard.
John Harley, Shaun Harkin, Micheál Roarty and Daniel Scott all died when the Toyota Corolla they were in crashed at Gleannhulaigh near Magheraroarty on January 27 last year.
All four had been drinking in Dixon’s Bar in Magheraroarty, and sometime after 8.30pm they left in Daniel Scott’s car. Just minutes later the car went out of control after it clipped a grass verge and flew 23 metres into a field.
Micheál, 24, from Dunlewey; John, 24, from Falcarragh; Shaun, 22, from Falcarragh and Daniel, 23, from Gortahork died instantly
Two were not wearing seatbelts
after the car landed on its roof. Pathologist Dr Katrina Dillon told how all four friends suffered serious head injuries.
Families of the four young men hugged each other during the distressing evidence.
The court was also told all four were intoxicated.
Forensic collision investigator, Garda Gerard McCauley told how measurements indicated they were travelling at 120kph on an 80kph road. The weather was not a factor, the road was in good condition and the car was also in a good condition, he added.
Micheál Roarty and John Harley, were not wearing seatbelts, but coroner Dr Denis McCauley said this would not have saved them as the impact was so severe.
Dr Dillon said all four were intoxicated and the driver, Mr Scott, was six times over the l i mit. Cocaine was also in his system.
Witness Seana O’Grady said she had been in Dixon’s Bar that evening and after the four men left she heard a car revving, and another witness Adam Curran said: ‘Oh God, why didn’t someone take the keys off them?’
Garda Shaun Sharkey was the first member on the scene and told of the horrific site he found.
He said he knew there were two bodies in the front and two in the rear but was not sure if there were more casualties such was the damage caused by the impact.
They removed the bodies, placed them on tarpaulin and cleaned them up as best they could, he said. Then local priest Fr Brian Ferry arrived and blessed them.
Sgt John Joe McClafferty said he knew some of the young men well and had attended all their funerals. He said they had never come to Garda attention before and were from well-respected families.
He added: ‘This was just a terrible tragedy and it was said at the time that this was one of the darkest and saddest days in our community, as four young men were snatched from us in the prime of their lives.’
His sentiments were echoed by Garda Inspector Séamus McGingle who conducted the inquest on behalf of An Garda Síochána.
Coroner Dr McCauley said the inquest was not being held to apportion blame but to find out the facts of what happened. He said: ‘This was four close friends out enjoying themselves, and made a couple of decisions which had a bad, dreadful outcome.
‘The boys had their lives planned out and this reinforces that this is just an awful accident which has had devastating effects. It has had a ripple effect on all the community and all the people here and you can just hear the devastation that it has caused.’