Donegal road crash victim (16) was out for cross-Border drive from Derry home

Kian Dawson was a front-seat passenger in the car which went out of control and struck a wall

Kian Dawson, aged 16, from Carnhill, Derry, was a passenger in the car which crashed in Quigley's Point. Photo: Facebook
Kian Dawson, aged 16, from Carnhill, Derry, was a passenger in the car which crashed in Quigley's Point. Photo: Facebook

A teenager who died in a crash in Co Donegal on Saturday night was out for a cross-Border drive with his friend when he was killed.

The victim, named locally as Kian Dawson (16) had come from neighbouring Derry earlier in the evening.

Kian, from Carnhill in the city, was a front-seat passenger in the car which crashed at Cross, Quigley’s Point at 11.15pm. The car went out of control before striking a wall and ending up in a field.

Kian was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the car, a man aged in his 20s, suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

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Garda forensic collision investigators carried out an examination of the scene of the crash on the R240, which remained closed for most of the day.

The latest fatality night brings the number of people killed on the country’s roads so far this year to 124, tracking above the 2023 total of 113 at the same stage. Last year’s figure was itself a nine-year high.

It was the ninth death on Donegal’s roads so far this year, compared to a total number of 10 fatalities for all of 2023.

Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to the collision, including those who may have footage, to come forward.

Separately, three people were taken to hospital in Letterkenny following a crash at Inver in the south of Co Donegal just before 9am on Sunday. Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene attended the scene between Inver Bridge and the Ardaghey turn-off.