Ireland: Zimbabwean learner driver left 1,200 homes without power and a €60k repair bill after hit-and-run crash

Thirty-five-year-old Tennyson Dube, of the M Hotel, Carrickmacross, Monaghan fled the scene on foot and left his female front passenger with a fractured rib following the high speed crash at Kingscourt Road, Mullanarry, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan on November 30, 2024.

The Zimbabwe national had been travelling at such a speed that the ESB pole his silver Opel Insignia collided with came down on the road and left approximately 1,158 homes and businesses in the greater Carrickmacross area without power for a number of hours.

Sgt Lisa McEntee said when gardaí arrived on the scene shortly before 11:30pm, a woman who appeared to be carrying an injury could be seen attempting to flag down officers while surrounded by a series of phone lines that lay strewn across the road.

She said the woman told gardaí how Dube had left the scene moments earlier but was unsure of his name, saying she believed he was a resident in the four star hotel which provides accommodation to international protection applicants.

Sgt McEntee said an initial examination of the crashed car also revealed an absence of any insurance or tax disks from its windscreen.

The injured woman, Judge John Brennan was told, later underwent medical attention at a nearby hospital which revealed she had sustained a fractured rib.

Sgt McEntee said the road was subsequently closed as a result of the power outage which forced ESB bosses to fork out over €58,000 in clean up costs.

Dube pleaded guilty to failing to remain at the scene of an accident and dangerous driving.

Dube, the court heard, walked back to the hotel before giving a voluntary cautioned statement to gardaí the following day in which he accepted his culpability.

In defence, solicitor Niall Fox said the father-of-two and provisional licence holder had simply “panicked” in opting to leave the scene of the crash.

In a further admission, Mr Fox said Dube had only purchased the car days earlier and had taken the “silly decision” not to insure the car and instead opted to go and pick up a friend and his female companion who had just got off a bus.

He said while his client was not facing a no insurance charge, Dube wished to adopt an “open and frank” stance over what had transpired on the night in question.

Mr Fox said the chicken factory worker accepted that his driving on the night of the crash was at a speed that caused him to lose control and collide with the ESB pole.

He also stressed Dube, who had six years driving experience under his belt prior to his arrival into Ireland two years ago, was especially helpful with gardaí in the ensuing investigation that followed.

“He admits he was the driver, he admits what he was doing and how it happened and he gave all of the required information to gardaí,” said Mr Fox.

In a final appeal to the court to refrain from imposing a custodial sanction on his client, Mr Fox conceded there was an “inevitable impact” awaiting Dube concerning his ongoing application for international protection.

Judge Brennan said there was no denying the accused had been “very unfortunate”, adding how his role in the crash would ultimately lead to the “whole power of Carrickmacross” succumbing to the crash’s immediate after-effects.

He said despite the possible repercussions facing Dube’s bid to secure asylum, leaving the scene of an accident at a time when his passenger was carrying an injury remained a factor that the court could not overlook.

Dube was subsequently banned from driving for two years and fined €300 for dangerous driving. The judge imposed a further €300 for one of the section 106 road traffic charges. — _*SundayWorld*