Posted: May 23rd, 2018
An incident where a drunken 20-year old-man stole a bus after a night drinking in the pub and drove the bus on motorways around Shannon town after crashing it into a wall was referred to a judge as ‘bizarre.’
in the case that wa sbeing heard at Ennis District Court, solicitor for Adam O’Brien, Daragh Hassett said that Mr O’Brien was involved in a “drunken prank that went horribly wrong. In fact, it was more serious than that”.
Mr O’Brien, with an address at Ravendale, Pass Road, Meelick crashed the 16 seater bus, belonging to PK Travel, into a wall in Shannon Co Clare causing €5,020 worth of damage.
After driving the bus around Shannon for one hour on February 10 this year Mr O’Brien and was swerving from lane to lane on the M18 motorway, heading into Limerick when he was stopped by Gardai in Bunratty at approximately 3am.
Mr Hassett said that Mr O’Brien had been waiting for a taxi to take him home at the front door of the Old Lodge pub at Ballycasey in the early hours of the morning. He stated: “There is a bit of Hollywood in this. Mr O’Brien is waiting for the taxi but what pulls up is his drinking buddy driving a bus who had taken it with the keys in it from the nearby car-park. The doors open and Mr O’Brien gets on.”
He said: “They get onto the road and his friend says ‘I’m a bit drunk, will you drive?’ and Mr O’Brien, who had lots to drink, decides to take the wheel of the bus and drive around Shannon.”
Mr Hassett said that Mr O’Brien’s decision to take the wheel of the bus “is something he will regret for the rest of his life”.
Judge Durcan remanded Mr O’Brien on bail to re-appear before the court on June 6.
Categories: Car Accidents, Road Traffic Accidents
