Co Armagh joiner hit a woman's car head on during a crash in Lurgan, Craigavon court hears
A Co Armagh joiner, who ran head on into a woman’s car in Lurgan, is ‘close’ to getting a driving ban, a district judge has warned.
Andrew Porter, aged 23, from Mavemacullen Road, Tandragee, did not appear before Craigavon Magistrates Court where he was charged with careless driving, however his solicitor Mr Philip Reid said the defendant pleaded guilty.
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The court heard that on September 29 last year at around 8.40pm, police received a report of a road traffic collision at Donard Gardens.
The reporting person was driving a red Hyundai and the defendant was driving a VW Jetta. “Coming around the bend in Donard Gardens the defendant hit her vehicle head on. The vehicle was badly damaged to the front,” said the prosecutor.
She added the defendant got out of his car and offered to pay for any damage. He then drove off. The other driver was taken to Craigavon Hospital, however she waited six hours and had not been seen so left.
Porter took a preliminary breath test approximately two hours later and it was negative.
During interview he admitted his driving was careless and he was at fault.
Mr Reid said his client claimed that as he was going around the corner he was looking at his dashboard and ‘was distracted’.
"There is a claim just commenced and that is going to affect his insurance going forward,” said the solicitor.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan noted there “appeared to be cars blocking passageway through that road”. He said Porter is “close to” a driving ban. He gave him seven penalty points and fined him £200 plus £15 offender levy.