Lorry driver who 'dozed off' and crashed through garden in court

A man whose lorry careered through a garden and was inches from colliding with a Newtowncunningham house ‘dozed off’.

Arturas Plutusevicius has appeared in court charged with dangerous driving over the incident at 6.45am on January 3, 2022 at Killyverry, Newtowncunningham.

Plutusevicius, a 46-year-old with an address at Blackthorn Lodge, Balbriggan, County Dublin, was before Letterkenny District Court.

After hearing that Plutusevicius had just returned to work that morning after two days off, Judge Éiteáin Cunningham said she would further consider the case before passing sentence.

Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that Plutusevicius was driving an articulated lorry when he dozed off briefly. Plutusevicius’s vehicle crossed the road and crashed through a gate into the garden.

Plutusevicius was charged that he did drive in a manner which having regard to all the circumstances of the case was dangerous to the public

Sergeant Collins said Plutusevicius was fully cooperative and indicated that the owner was compensated for the damage caused.

Plutusevicius’s tachograph was analysed and showed that he was off work on the previous two days.

Solicitor for Plutusevicius, Ms Donna Crampsie, told the court that her client worked ‘unsociable hours’ and it took time for him to get back into the flow of working.

“This was a momentary lapse in concentration,” Ms Crampsie said, adding that Plutusevicius was ‘completely remorseful’.

Judge Cunningham said it was a concern to the court that Plutusevicius had come back to work tired after two days off.

“Days off are to recuperate,” Judge Cunningham said.

The matter was adjourned until September 4.