Two investigations are underway after a man in his 20s suffered serious injuries when he was struck by a car that was being pursued by gardaí in Limerick last night.
The car initially came to the attention of gardaí at the Roxboro Roundabout on the south of the city, and was then pursued by gardaí shortly before the collision, at Ballinacurra Road, an informed source said.
Two males who were travelling in the car fled from the scene on foot, and are presently wanted by gardaí for questioning.
A spokeswoman for the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Office (GSOC) said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision, due to gardaí interacting with the car shortly before collision.
“GSOC received a referral (under section 102 of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005) following an incident in Limerick in which a person was seriously injured when he was struck by a car at around 11.30pm last night,” said the GSOC spokeswoman.
“The two occupants of the car immediately fled the scene.”
“A Garda Superintendent referred the matter to GSOC as there had been engagement between gardaí and the car a short time before the person was struck.
“The incident happened close to a roundabout at the Crescent Shopping Centre, approximately 5km from the city centre.”
According to GSOC, the injured man “was on a scooter“ when he “was struck by the car at a pedestrian crossing”.
“GSOC investigators attended at the scene and the matter remains under examination today.“
A Garda spokesman appealed for witnesses to the “serious road traffic collision involving a pedestrian and a car that occurred on the Ballinacurra Road, Co Limerick on 8th March, at approximately 11.20pm.
“The pedestrian, a man aged in his 20s, was on the pedestrian crossing when the collision took place.“
The injured man was taken by ambulance from the scene of the collision to University Hospital Limerick “where he remains in a critical condition”.
“Local diversions are currently in place and a technical examination is now underway at the scene.”
Gardaí appealed specifically “for anyone who may have witnessed this collision or who were in the Ballinacurra or Childers Road area between 11.15pm-11.30pm, particularly any road users who may have camera footage, to contact them”.
Anyone with information can contact gardaí in Roxboro on 061 214340, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
“As the car involved in this collision had come to the attention of Gardaí, An Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) have been notified,” the spokesman said.
