Dublin council rubbish van stolen and crashed into rail barriers – The Irish Times

Gardaí are investigating an incident through which a Dublin Town Council garbage automobile used to be stolen and next upcoming crashed into degree crossing obstacles at Sutton, Co Dublin.

It’s understood the accident, which took place simply earlier than 6pm, concerned a petite garbage van which allegedly drove during the “fully lowered” obstacles, in line with a spokesman for Irish Rail.

The obstacles had been broken on account of the incident and the automobile got here to a halt a tiny bit additional up the street. The incident brought about vital visitors at the north facet of the town and Dart services and products between Howth and Howth Junction had been absolutely suspended.

Dublin Town Council showed certainly one of their automobiles used to be stolen from Parliament Boulevard in Dublin 2, “while a member of our waste management staff was emptying a bin”.

“The staff member immediately rang his supervisor, who then got in touch with gardaí and gave them the details of the vehicle,” the spokesperson mentioned.

A spokesman for the Garda mentioned that all over the process a visitors enforcement checkpoint being carried out at roughly 5.40pm on Ormond Quay Decrease, Dublin 1, a automobile didn’t prohibit for gardaí.

“Following enquiries, gardaí became aware this vehicle was subject to an unauthorised taking earlier in the afternoon in the north central area of Dublin city and the movements of the vehicle was monitored by a number of Garda units,” he mentioned.

“This vehicle later collided with level crossing barriers at a railway level crossing in Sutton where it came to a stop.”

The male driving force used to be taken to a Dublin Medical institution with non-life threatening accidents. Disagree alternative accidents were reported to the Garda on Thursday night time.

Observer Peter Barrins from Baldoyle, who used to be status on the degree crossing when the incident passed off, mentioned it “could have been a lot worse”.

“I was walking my dog this evening towards Sutton on the Strand Road from Baldoyle,” he mentioned. “The level crossing came down, and I was just waiting to cross.

“Then a Dublin City Council van used for emptying litter bins came along at high speed. It suddenly dawned on me it wasn’t going to stop. It drove straight through the middle of the barriers and collided with the car that was right behind me.”

Mr Barrins mentioned that the van stuck a entrance, proper nook of any other automotive however that it “stood up quite well”.

Mr Barrins mentioned he used to be about to dial 999 when plenty of Garda automobiles arrived at the scene and apprehended the motive force of the van.

“The guy in the van seemed to be okay,” he mentioned. “I was about to dial 999 but I saw a line of Garda vans in pursuit and then next thing there were about 20 gardaí on top of him. He was on the ground. His shoe had fallen off. It was all just a bit of a mess really.

“The woman in the car had two kids, and there was a lady on the other side who had a few superficial cuts. Miraculously nobody was injured. I had bits of shrapnel in my hair and my clothes and I just wanted to get out of there really.

“A guard told me they had been pursuing the guy for quite a few hours at various points throughout the city. When I was walking up towards Sutton, I did see an unmarked Garda jeep pass by with the blue lights.

“It could have been a horrific incident if it had gone through the level crossing when the train had been crossing. I probably wouldn’t be talking to you now, that’s for sure.”

The Garda spokesman mentioned investigations into all of the instances of the incident are ongoing, and that gardaí are following a certain order of enquiry.