Inquest hears actor home for Christmas visit died in collision

A 24-year-old man who had just arrived home to Co Meath from London for a Christmas holiday three years ago died when the car in which he was a passenger lost control collided with another car on the Nobber-Kingscourt Road, an inquest in Navan has been told.

The man who died was Dylan Ward of Cluain Dara, Kingscourt who was working as an actor in London at the time of his death. The road incident occurred on the 21st December 2018.

Garda Richard Gaye, Navan Garda Station told the inquest that on the date in question he had been alerted to a road incident outside Kingscourt. He established that the location was Boynabough, Kilmainhamwood and arrived there at 9.15pm. The road was wet and it had been raining but was not raining at the time of his arrival. A fire engine and two ambulances were already at the scene.

He saw a “sports type” car on the left hand side of the road. The rear of the vehicle was facing into the ditch on the left side. This car was a Honda 3 2000 convertible.

There was extensive damage to the passenger side of the vehicle. There was also a VW Golf further up the road and it had extensive damage to its front.

He became aware that a passenger in one of the vehicles had died in the collision between the vehicles.

The drivers of both vehicles had been breath tested and these tests had shown a negative for alcohol or drugs.

Dr Valerie Cronin attended the scene and pronounced Mr Ward deceased, the Garda said. The inquest was told that the deceased's body had been identified by his uncle Brian Ward.

Garda Gaye told Coroner Nathaniel Lacy that a 24-year-old driver of the car in which Mr Ward died had been convicted of dangerous driving causing death and had been given a two-year suspended sentence and disqualified from driving for 10 years. The court had been told that the driver was uninsured.

A report by accident investigator Garda Tom Brennan showed that the car in which Mr Ward was a passenger had travelled on its incorrect side before the accident.

Consultant pathologist who carried out a post mortem on the deceased told the inquest that Mr Ward had died from multiple injuries.

The coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence and he and Garda Inspector Valerie Gahan extended condolences to the family of the deceased.