Coked-up dad who crashed into trailer while fleeing gardai slapped with driving ban and fine

Stephen Hyndman appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal following the incident on February 15 this year.

Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that gardai had received reports of a drunk driver in the vicinity of Letterkenny Shopping Centre at Port Road.

When they arrived they spotted a driver in a black Skoda car who took off at speed.

When he did so he clipped a trailer of another vehicle nearby.

The driver eventually stopped and when tested by gardai tested positive for cocaine.

He was brought to Letterkenny Garda Station where a sample and a reading was taken.

The accused man’s solicitor, Mr Rory O’Brien, said his client was a 50-year-old married father-of-three with no previous convictions.

He added that his client, of St James Road in Belfast, was utterly embarrassed and ashamed and was very eager to put this matter behind him.

Hyndman was charged with drug driving and also leaving the scene of an accident.

Judge Deirdre Gearty asked what was the cost of the damage caused to the trailer but was told it was minimal.

She added that leaving the scene of an accident was not very nice and left other people in a very difficult position adding the accused did not have the courtesy to stay at the scene.

Judge Gearty said the substance found in the accused man’s blood probably explained his actions.

She fined Hyndman €250 for drug-driving and banned him from driving for one year and also fined him a further €150 for leaving the scene of an accident.