Teenager who allegedly drove the wrong way down the M8 before the crash that killed Johnny Foley, 16, appears in court
Johnny Foley was a passenger in a car allegedly driven by the defendant on July 1 last year
The teenager, 17, who cannot be named due to his age, has been charged with 12 driving offenses, including one relating to the death of 16-year-old Johnny Foley, from Spur Hill in Cork.
Johnny Foley was a passenger in a car allegedly driven by the defendant on July 1 last year.
Two other teenagers in the car allegedly driven by the teen were injured, as was the driver of the other car.
Yesterday Det Garda John Murphy gave a statement at Mallow Court on the charge of arrest and caution. He said he arrested the youth at around 8am today and charged him with 12 offenses relating to incidents in Mitchelstown and its hinterland in the early hours of July 1.
He said the teenager did not respond when the charges were brought against him.
The teenager was charged with dangerous driving which led to the death of Johnny Foley. He is also charged with three counts of dangerous driving, which resulted in serious injuries to two teenage passengers in his car, as well as another female motorist who suffered injuries in the collision at Ballybeg in Mitchelstown.
Gardaí in Cork at the scene of the fatal accident on the M8 motorway in which Johnny Foley (16) died
The defendant was also charged with endangerment in Ballybeg in the town. It is believed he was driving at high speed on the wrong side of the M8 motorway, causing other motorists to have to swerve to avoid collisions.
The teenager was also charged with four counts of dangerous driving on the same day.
He was also accused of attempting to take a car unlawfully without the owner’s consent in Glanworth, North Cork, driving without insurance and driving without a valid license in Ballybeg, Mitchelstown, on the same day.
Det Garda Murphy said the DPP initiated proceedings by charging him with dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing serious harm and endangerment charges. The DPP has also agreed that the defendant will make a signed admission of guilt in relation to these charges.
Sergeant Linda O’Leary requested that she be remanded in custody until the end of this month in the case.
Judge Colm Roberts remanded the youth in custody at the Oberstown Children Detention Campus to appear again in Mallow District Court via video link on November 14.
Free legal assistance was provided in the case and Cathal Lombard, an attorney, was appointed to represent the youth.
The funeral mass for Johnny Foley took place on July 5th at the Church of the Assumption in Ballyphehane. He was buried in St James’ Cemetery, Chetwynd.
Johnny is survived by his parents Michael and Maggie, his stepmother Lilly-Ann and siblings Michael, Luke, James, Mary-Ellen and Lisa.
