A MAN was in a serious condition in hospital yesterday after he was found lying on a country road having apparently been dragged from a crashed car by two other people who then absconded.
The Garda Air Support Unit was called in to assist gardaí search for the two men after they left the seriously injured man at the scene of the crash which occurred in Co Clare at 8.15pm on Sunday.
The three young men were travelling in a Toyota Avensis car which went out of control and crashed into a tree near Clooney, a short distance from Ennis.
One of the men sustained multiple serious injuries and was pulled from the vehicle by his friends, probably not realising how hurt he was. However, the men fled the scene when another car approached. It is not known whether the injured man was the driver or a passenger in the vehicle.
Gardaí and an ambulance were called while two units of the fire brigade were also sent to the scene. The narrow country road was closed and traffic diverted as emergency services dealt with the injured man and a search got under way for the other two people.
The injured man was taken by ambulance to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick where he was reported to be in a serious but stable condition yesterday.
Paramedics decided to invoke a “major trauma bypass protocol” where patients who have sustained serious trauma are transported directly to Limerick instead of Ennis General Hospital. It is thought however that the man’s injuries are not life-threatening.
Meanwhile, gardaí requested assistance from the Garda Air Support Unit which promptly sent a helicopter to Co Clare to help in the search.
The crew carried out a sweep of the area using specialist night vision equipment. However, they found no trace of the men. Garda patrols searched local roads but it is believed that the men escaped across fields or may have got a lift.
The scene was preserved overnight and was inspected by forensic crash scene investigators early yesterday before the road was reopened around midday.
Gardaí have confirmed that the two men who left the scene remain at large, while they hope to interview the injured man in the coming days.