Pedestrian ended up on bonnet of mechanic's non-insured car

A 37-YEAR-old part-time mechanic who was involved in a hit-and-run in Dunmanway has been sentenced to five months in prison and disqualified from driving for five years. 

Ivars Mizans, 44 Castle St, Dunmanway pleaded guilty to careless driving, driving without insurance and failing to remain at the scene of an accident at a recent sitting of Clonakilty District Court.

Supt Ger O’Mahony told the court that on August 16th, 2016 at Market Square, Dunmanway, the defendant, who was driving on the wrong side of the road, knocked down a pedestrian who was crossing the road and who ended up on the bonnet of the defendant’s car

‘The defendant stopped his car and spoke briefly to the injured man, but then drove off from the scene. A witness to the incident saw the car on the incorrect side of the road and they took down the defendant’s registration plate,’ said Supt O’Mahony.

Gardaí later called to the defendant’s workplace and found his car in the yard and he made full admissions that he was driving the car earlier in Market Square and he also said he had no insurance.

Solicitor Colette McCarthy said it’s accepted that her client didn’t career through the square and that the car was seen stopped at the yield sign.

‘He said he looked to the right and that there was a bus parked there, but he accepts he didn’t look back again,’ said Ms McCarthy.

Judge James McNulty said he had heard enough and that ‘the net effect was that while driving uninsured, he knocked down a citizen.’

Ms McCarthy said her client is Latvian and a father of two children who works part-time in a local garage and is described as a valuable employee by his employer, but that at the time of the incident he was going through a separation.

The court was told that the defendant has 20 previous convictions, going back as far as 2005, with several of those for driving without insurance.

‘The truth is that he knocked down a pedestrian in the centre of Dunmanway and left to go to work so he won’t be surprised with how the court will treat him,’ said Judge McNulty.

The defendant was sentenced to five months in prison and disqualified from driving for five years on each of the three charges with all sentences to run concurrently.

Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal in the defendant’s own bond of €100, as well as one independent surety of €3,000, with a third to be provided in cash.

The defendant’s employer John Buckley later provided the surety of €1,000 for his employee’s release, pending an appeal.