A student who drove the wrong way down a Letterkenny street with people ‘hanging out of the sunroof’ during the Donegal International Rally has been fined €350.
Courtney Cahoon, 19, appeared before Letterkenny District Court following the incident at Port Road on June 21st last at 10pm.
Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that Ms Cahoon was driving the Volkswagen Passat car the wrong way down the one-way street with people “hanging out of the sunroof.”
Sergeant Collins added that there was “no great speed involved.”
Ms Cahoon, of Sluggan Road, Pomeroy, Dungannon, Co Tyrone, was charged that she did drive a vehicle in a manner (including speed) which having regard to all the circumstances of the case (including the condition of the vehicle, the nature, condition and use of such place and the amount of the traffic which then actually was or might reasonably be expected then to be therein) was dangerous to the public or was likely to be dangerous to the public.
The charge was Contrary to section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 as substituted by section 4 of the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011).
Mr Patsy Gallagher, solicitor for the accused, said his client was a student who had never driven in Letterkenny before.
He added that she was simply told to go down the road, that she was insured and was very cooperative when stopped by Gardai.
Judge Eiteain Cunningham asked Mr Gallagher if his client could account for the people hanging out of the sunroof and he replied that there was “only so much she could control.”
Judge Cunningham agreed to reduce the charge to a Section 52 careless driving charge and fined Cahoon €350.