Burnfoot woman (67) who knocked down a cyclist is cleared of careless driving

An Inishowen woman, who knocked down a cyclist with her car more than two years ago, has been cleared of careless driving in court.

Angela McLaughlin, of Tooban, Burnfoot, had pleaded guilty to the motoring misdemeanour at Buncrana District Court.

However, after hearing the evidence and the mitigation put forward, Judge Deirdre Gearty dismissed the charge against the 67-year-old defendant.

Sergeant Conor Mulkerns presented the evidence in the case. He told the court how on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at approximately 3pm, a call was received in relation to a male cyclist, who was knocked off his bike by a car crossing over the road at Tooban, Burnfoot.

Gardai called to the scene, and ambulance personnel arrived shortly afterwards.

The male was assessed by paramedics and he was brought to Letterkenny University Hospital with a suspected broken collar bone, Sgt Mulkerns further testified.

The cyclist had been travelling in the direction of Burnfoot and the driver of the vehicle, Ms Angela McLaughlin, had been crossing from a laneway to her home.

The driver was not injured but was “quite shaken” by the incident, Sgt Mulkerns continued.

A photograph of the scene was handed in to the court, and Judge Gearty said: “Certainly a Section 52 [careless driving] is appropriate here, as opposed to anything else.”

However, defence solicitor Patsy Gallagher said he was hoping that the court “would take a certain course”, given the fact that his client has been driving for 45 years without any issues, and that the insurance is being dealt with in the matter.

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Mr Gallagher also said that Ms McLaughlin was “quite shaken” after what happened, while the injured cyclist was “rather vocal” at the scene.

“Yes, a mistake was made…but it was she who called the ambulance and the gardai. And we are where we are.”

“Also, the collarbone wasn’t broken,” Mr Gallagher told the court.

Judge Gearty said she would strike out the charge, given that “civil matters are in hand”.