Man ‘escaping by the skin of his teeth’ says Judge
A CLONDALKIN man suspected of drink driving got out of a crashed car holding a bottle of rum and resisted arrest, threatening gardai with physical violence.
Jason Roe had driven the BMW into a footpath, writing it off when gardai encountered him.
Blanchardstown District Court
Days later, he left the scene of a separate accident and attempted to strike gardai when they found him.
Roe, aged 34, was in the throes of a drug and alcohol addiction at the time of the two incidents, Blanchardstown District Court heard.
Judge Gerard Jones gave him a one-month suspended sentence, banned him from driving for four years and fined him €400.
Roe, with an address at Greenfort Gardens, Clondalkin pleaded guilty to failing to stop at the scene of an accident, driving without due care and attention, breach of the peace and failing to give gardai his name and address.
He also admitted to charges of having no insurance and refusing to provide a breath, urine or blood sample.
Sergeant Walter Sweeney said on June 10, 2019, there was a traffic collision at New Road Clondalkin, where a woman said her car had been hit unexpectedly by another vehicle which was driving carelessly.
She was uninjured but her car was slightly damaged. In a search for the suspect, Roe was discovered on Tower Road and when approached he was “highly aggressive” to the gardai, attempting to strike them.
On June 18, gardai saw a silver BMW crash into a footpath at high speed at Fonthill Road, Clondalkin. The car was written off in the crash.
Roe got out holding a bottle of Captain Morgan’s and became “combative” when gardai approached. He resisted arrest and was restrained and put in a patrol car, where he attempted to kick the gardai.
Roe was intoxicated and continued to fight all the way back to Ronanstown Garda Station, where he remained abusive, struggled and threatened gardai with physical violence, Sgt Sweeney continued.
He refused to provide a sample.
Roe had been “out of control” in the throes of a very debilitating drug and alcohol addiction at the time and had spent nine months in treatment, his solicitor Leonard Leader said. Testimonials about his progress were presented to the court.
Mr Leader said the accused had made a “dramatic turnaround” in his fortunes and turned over a new leaf.
Suspending the sentence, the judge said the accused was “escaping by the skin of his teeth.”
