Man driving under the influence of cocaine to stand trial after death of teenage girl in crash

A man is to stand trial following the death of a young Co Donegal woman in a road traffic incident.

Brendan Friel, aged 23, appeared at Letterkenny District Court. He was charged following the death of Chloe Gallagher Fanneran in Letterkenny on November 9, 2022.

He is charged with both dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of cocaine.

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Ms Gallagher Fanneran, who was aged just 18 and from Leitir Beag, Crievesmith, Letterkenny, died following a two-car collision at Magheranan, Letterkenny.

Friel was charged that he 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 traffic which then actually was or might reasonably be expected then to be therein - was dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of another person.

The charge is Contrary to Section 53(1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 as substituted by section 4 of the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011).

The scene of the RTC on the road near Letterkenny in November 2022
(Image: NW Newspix)

Friel, of Newmill Road, Ramelton, Co Donegal, is also charged with driving under the influence. He is charged that he did drive a mechanically-propelled vehicle registration while there was present in his body a quantity of a drug, namely Benzoylecgonine (cocaine) specified in column (2) of the Schedule to the Road Traffic Act 2010 such that, within 3 hours after so driving, the concentration of the said drug in his blood was greater than the concentration specified in respect of the said drug in column (3) of the said Schedule, to wit 98.0 NG / MLBenzoylecgonine.

The charge is Contrary to section 4(1A) of the Road Traffic Act 2010 as inserted by section 8(a) of the Road Traffic Act 2016 and contrary to section 4(5) of the Road Traffic Act 2010.

Garda Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had indicated trial by indictment at Letterkenny Circuit Court. Mr Rory O'Brien, solicitor for the accused, said Gardaí had no objection to bail for Friel. Judge Eiteain Cunningham adjourned the case until February for the service of a Book of Evidence in the case.

Legal aid was also granted to Friel.

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