Uninsured Carndonagh teenager who caused crash and fled scene escapes driving ban

A Carndonagh teenager, who drove through a junction and caused a crash before fleeing the scene, has escaped a ban after a judge agreed to reduce a dangerous driving charge to one of careless driving.

Ethan Greenwood, of Straths, Carndonagh, was charged with five offences, including dangerous driving and two counts of hit and run, as well as driving without insurance or a licence.

The defendant was not present at Carndonagh District Court, but his solicitor Frank Dorrian indicated that he wished to plead guilty to all charges.

Mr Greenwood is now 20-years-old, but he was just 19 when the collision occurred at Churchland Quarters, Carndonagh on June 14, 2024.

At 1pm that afternoon, Garda Eoghan Reid was called to the scene of a road traffic collision at Churchland Quarters, Carndonagh.

Presenting the evidence in court, Inspector Sean McDaid explained how Garda Reid spoke with one driver of a vehicle involved, a female, who stated that a young male had fled the scene on foot.

The woman knew the driver from the locality, Inspector McDaid said.

“The woman stated that a black Mercedes pulled out of a junction and didn’t stop. She tried to take evasive action but was unable to avoid a collision.”

“She believed the driver to be Ethan Greenwood, who was known to her.”

The court was told Garda Reid observed how the offending vehicle – a 2009 UK-registered Mercedes E250 – was left stationary length-ways across both lanes of the carriageway.

Gardai conducted subsequent enquiries and established that Mr Greenwood was driving the vehicle at the time. They demanded production of his certificate of insurance and driving licence, neither of which was produced.

Insp McDaid told the court that Mr Greenwood had no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Frank Dorrian said his client had ‘panicked’ following the crash.

“He panicked because he wasn’t insured. However, he spontaneously turned up at a Garda Station half an hour later and announced himself to be the young man who was involved in the accident.”

“There was no suggestion that he was drinking or intoxicated, or anything like that.”

Mr Dorrian said Mr Greenwood “did the best he could under the circumstances where he had created this crisis for himself and others”.

“He was driving this vehicle, which was of some vintage. It cost €4,200 to buy, so it was not exactly top of the range.”

“He did stop at the junction and then entered the roadway, to the inconvenience of the traffic which was on the main road.”

“The parties knew each other. He spoke with the young lady who was driving the other car and then he left the scene.”

Mr Dorrian described his client as an “ambitious young man” trying to make his way in the world.

“He works in a cafe at the moment, and he’s trying to get the wherewithal to branch out on his own.”

Following the evidence and mitigation offered, the Buncrana solicitor asked Judge Eiteain Cunningham to consider reducing the charge against Mr Greenwood from dangerous to careless driving.

Dangerous driving carries a mandatory disqualification of at least two years, whilst careless driving does not.

The judge asked Inspector McDaid for the State’s position on the possible reduction.

“In light of the plea, I have no objections,” Inspector McDaid replied.

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Judge Cunningham then agreed to reduce the Section 53 dangerous driving charge to Section 52 careless driving, imposing a €100 fine.

She convicted Mr Greenwood of driving without insurance and imposed a fine of €200. She did not impose a ban, however, given no previous, and given the circumstances outlined.

The judge imposed an additional fine of €100 on the Section 38 charge of driving without a licence, before “taking the other matters into account”.

Mr Greenwood has been given a deadline of five months to pay the €400 total in fines.