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Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023
Updated / Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023 17:21
Dublin Coroners Court heard that a post-mortem found that Jordan
Kennedy had consumed cocaine and cannabis before the fatal incident
A Dublin teenager was killed after a stolen motorcycle he was riding
collided with a tree in Finglas shortly after he had eluded gardaí
during a high-speed chase on the M50 two years ago, an inquest has
heard.
Jordan "Romo" Kennedy, 19, of Dunsink Gardens, Finglas died in a single
vehicle collision on Kilshane Road, Finglas in the early hours of 2
April, 2021.
An inquest into his death at Dublin District Coroner's Court heard that
a post-mortem found he had consumed cocaine and cannabis before the
fatal incident, while he had also been riding a motorcycle without a
safety helmet.
It concluded the victim, who worked as an apprentice at Fresh Air
Conditioning Ireland in Finglas, died from multiple traumatic head
injuries consistent with a single vehicle collision.
A store operative, Konstantinos Zanos, told the inquest he was driving
home from work at around 1.25am when he noticed "something black" lying
in the middle of Kilshane Road.
Mr Zanos said he was too shocked to get out of his vehicle but noticed
that it was a person lying on their side with blood coming from their
head.
He told the coroner, Clare Keane, that there was no movement from the
victim, while he had seen no other vehicles on the road before or after
coming on the scene until emergency services arrived.
The inquest heard that gardaí on patrol on St Colmcille’s Way near the
Knocklyon junction on the M50 in south Dublin had earlier that night
noticed a vehicle later identified as a Honda Accord with no lights
travelling at high speed and in an erratic manner.
Garda Miriam O’Brien said she also noticed a motorcycle being driven in
a similar fashion in the same direction and was uncertain if the two
vehicles were racing each other.
She then saw both the car and the motorcycle disappearing out of sight
heading in a northbound direction on the M50.
However, members of a patrolling Garda Armed Support Unit who had been
alerted about the suspicious activity spotted the two vehicles in the
distance on the M50 near Blanchardstown at around 1.20am.
Sergeant Jason Walsh said gardaí activated their blue lights but they
were struggling to keep sight of the vehicles which he estimated were
travelling at speeds of up to 180km/h.
The sergeant said the motorcycle appeared to be alternatively swerving
in front and behind the car.
He described seeing the two vehicles join the M2 from the M50 before
they took an exit off the motorway at Tyrellstown.
Sgt Walsh said the vehicles were effectively invisible as they could
only be spotted when their drivers had braked because they were not
using their headlights.
At Kilshane Cross, he said the motorcyclist turned right, while the
driver of the car turned in the other direction.
Sgt Walsh said gardaí pursuing the vehicles were stood down for safety
reasons after information was conveyed that the Honda was seen
travelling down the M50 in the wrong direction.
It was later found abandoned on the side of the M50 near the Finglas
exit.
Sgt Walsh told the inquest that he proceeded to Kilshane Road where an
accident had been reported.
He said gardaí provided CPR to the injured party who was now known to
be Mr Kennedy but he was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.26am.
In reply to a question from the jury, Sgt Walsh said he did not know if
the drivers of the two vehicles were aware they were being pursued.
A member of another AASU on patrol, Garda Conor Mallon, who was the
first to come on the scene of the crash, found the motorcycle in a
ditch on the side of the road.
The inquest heard the Yamaha high-performance, sports motorcycle had
been reported stolen from Cloragh Mills Apartments on Edmonstown Road,
Rathfarnham after two chains were cut off the vehicle.
Although he detected a faint pulse, Garda Mallon said Mr Kennedy was
unresponsive and had a large pool of blood coming from his head.
The inquest heard an examination of the motorcycle by a Garda vehicle
inspector found no defects that could have contributed to the fatal
collision.
A forensic collision investigator, Garda Damien Farrell, said the
single vehicle collision had occurred after the motorcyclist had failed
to negotiate a bend in the road.
Although the case had been notified to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman
Commission, the inquest heard no file had been forwarded to the DPP by
gardaí as it had been established that no other vehicle was involved in
the collision.
Detective Inspector Bronagh O'Reilly said CCTV footage showed that no
other vehicle followed Mr Kennedy down Kilshane Road for eight minutes
and it was another five minutes before a Garda car came along the road.
Commenting on the post-mortem results, Dr Keane observed that cocaine
was known to increase risk-taking behaviour in a user, while it could
also impact on a person’s driving ability.
A jury of three women and three men returned a verdict of misadventure.
Solicitor for Mr Kennedy’s family, Jeffrey Kenny, said Jordan was a
young man, with a big interest in horses, who was starting out in life
having completed his Leaving Certificate.
Mr Kenny said the victim’s family - which included his father, Ovidu
Selegeanu who attended the inquest - were appreciative of the
assistance by gardaí at the scene of the crash.