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GARDAÍ HAD SIGHTED a suspected stolen car with eight young people onboard a short time before it drove onto the M50 and collided with a motorist, sources have told The Journal.  

Nine people were hospitalised yesterday morning after a vehicle with eight young male occupants travelling in the wrong direction on the M50 crashed into another car.

The vehicle had come to the attention of gardaí before the crash occurred, The Journal understands.

Fiosrú, the garda ombudsman, has been called in as a matter of course to probe the crash because by law gardaí must refer the case to them when someone is injured having interacted with gardaí.

The Journal has learned that the Fiosrú investigation will focus on the driver training of the garda and what communications were had between command and control and the garda vehicle before the collision.

Meanwhile, it is understood that the garda investigation into the movements of the car is focused on how the youths came into possession of the car and what they were doing before the collision.

The crash on the M50 near Firhouse resulted in nine people being hospitalised. The serious two-car collision occurred at around 5.30am this morning on the M50 southbound at Junction 12, Firhouse, Dublin 24.

Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to a vehicle travelling northbound on the southbound carriageway of the M50.

The vehicle was driving down the up ramp at Junction 12 when it collided head-on with a car.

A total of eight occupants – all young boys – who were in this vehicle were transported to a number of different hospitals for treatment. One of the youths remains in a critical condition.

The male driver of the second car, aged in his 20s, was injured and removed from the scene to hospital. His injuries are described as serious.

The section of the M50 from Junction 12 to Junction 11 southbound remains closed, with local diversions in place.

A garda forensic collision examination is taking place.

Gardaí are appealing for any persons who may have witnessed this collision to come forward.

In a statement, Fiosrú said the garda organisation had requested they investigate and the ombudsman sent one of their on call investigators to the scene.

“In line with its statutory remit, Fiosrú’s investigation relates to incidents involving contact with gardaí where a member of the public has died or been seriously injured.

“A referral does not necessarily mean a garda or gardaí have been accused of wrongdoing.

“Instead, it means that Fiosrú should independently investigate the incident to ascertain whether or not the act or omission of a garda or gardaí may have resulted in the death of, or serious harm to, a person,” the statement said.

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