A teen was killed and two others were badly injured in a horror one-car crash at the weekend.
Driver David McHale, 17, from Mulranny in Co Mayo, died in hospital yesterday morning after the collision in Corha on the Newport Road in Castlebar, on Saturday night.
One of the male passengers, also in his teens, remains in a serious condition at Mayo General Hospital and another male passenger in his 20s continues to receive treatment for his injuries.
The three young men were travelling towards the direction of Castlebar when the crash happened.
The car veered off the road and collided with a mini digger that was parked in front of a house.
A local man told the Irish Mirror he heard the crash and thought it was “a rap of thunder”.
He said: “I was about to put my head on the pillow and heard a terrible bang.
“I didn’t know something had happened until this morning.”
Councillor Martin McLoughlin told the Irish Daily Mirror the stretch of road between Castlebar and Newport is an accident blackspot.
He said: “My sympathy goes out to the families at this terrible time. It’s a tragedy for everyone involved.”
The road remained closed yesterday as gardai carried out a forensic investigation.
A Garda spokesperson said: “Gardai are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision that occurred at Corha on the Newport Road in Castlebar, Co Mayo on Saturday.
“The single-vehicle collision occurred at approximately 11.50pm. All three occupants of the car were taken from the scene to Mayo General Hospital.
“The Castlebar to Newport road (R311) is currently closed in order to facilitate a forensic collision investigation. Local diversions are in place.
“Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward.
“They are also appealing for any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam), who were travelling in the area between 11.40pm-12am to make this footage available to gardai.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Castlebar Garda station on 094 903 8200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.”
