Cork truck driver jailed for three years after paralysing cyclist on road
A truck driver has been jailed for three years for hitting a cyclist and leaving him paralysed in Co Cork.
49-year-old Tim Walsh from Moneen in Glanworth pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury to Vincent O'Driscoll, 31, on the Cork to Macroom road last year.
The truck was carrying 42 tonnes of lumber at the time.
The victim was knocked off his bike and run over by the truck as it overtook him. He was not expected to survive, but pulled through and is now paralysed.
The court heard that Walsh failed to fix 70 defects on his truck, which included defective brakes, lights and a broken mirror which restricted his view.
Judge O Donnabhain said he knew the particular stretch of road and for anyone to try overtaking there in a truck would be criminally negligent.
The judge sentenced Walsh to four years in jail, but suspended the final year of the sentence, and disqualified him from driving for 15 years.
