Detectives are investigating possible criminal charges in relation to an incident on Thursday night in which a woman was killed when a car gardaí were pursuing collided with her vehicle.
The incident occurred northbound at junction 13 on the M7 at about 8.45pm, just north of the Kildare exit, near Kildare Village shopping complex. The woman killed was named as Diana Harton (43) from Claregate Court, Co Kildare.
A senior Garda source last night said the incident occurred when gardaí engaged a green Volkswagen Polo in pursuit after information was circulated to officers linking it to criminal activity earlier in the day. There were five people in the Polo, one of whom was a 13-year-old boy. It is understood they are members of Dublin-based gang.
The vehicle in which they were travelling was suspected of having been involved in two separate burglaries in Newport, Co Tipperary, in which power tools were stolen. When gardaí encountered the vehicle, officers observed that it was being driven erratically. The Garda source said the car was a couple of hundred metres in front of gardaí when it collided with a Citroen Xsara which Ms Harton was driving.
The collision caused Ms Harton’s vehicle to run off the road and overturn on to its roof.
“There was a significant impact between the Volkswagen and the Xsara because it takes a lot of force to do that despite what you see on the television,” said the source last night.
At this point, either Ms Harton’s vehicle or the Volkswagen collided with a Garda car in front, causing minor damage, but detectives are awaiting test results to ascertain which vehicle it was.
Ms Harton, who is believed to have been returning home from shopping at Kildare Village, died at the scene.
Three of the people in the Volkswagen were taken to Tallaght hospital while the other two were taken to Naas General Hospital. It is understood their injuries were serious but not life-threatening. Two gardaí were also taken to hospital with minor injuries but were later released.
It is understood the Garda pursuit of the Volkswagen did not involve a large number of vehicles because the incident unfolded quickly.
The regional support unit was later dispatched to the scene but it had no role in the pursuit.
The individuals who were travelling in the Volkswagen remained in hospital last night. The Garda source said they were not under guard but it is anticipated they will be questioned and arrested upon their discharge.
“It’s likely,” he said. “We can’t pre-empt it and it depends on how these investigations go, but it’s likely. We’re investigating the thefts and possible criminal charges against whoever was driving this car.”
If an individual is killed or seriously injured in an incident involving gardaí, the matter is referred to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), which has initiated its own investigation in this case.
