Driver who sped past unmarked car was found crashed in ditch
A driver who sped past an unmarked garda car before crashing into a ditch has been fined €5,000 and disqualified from driving for a month.
Ahmet Ramic (26), with an address at Brookview Court, Tallaght, Dublin 24 pleaded guilty at Tallaght District Court to driving without a licence and to dangerous driving at Killakee Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 on January 22, 2025.
Garda Mark Paul Cullen told Judge Brendan O’Reilly he was in an unmarked patrol car when a white 2023 Hyundai i20 passed him at speed at around 1am.
He said the car accelerated and he followed it, but briefly lost sight of it as it went uphill on Killakee Road.
Garda Cullen said that when he caught up with the car shortly afterwards, it had crashed into a ditch.
He added that when he approached the scene, Ramic apologised immediately while getting out of the car.
Asked by the judge what speed Ramic had been travelling, the garda replied: “100km per hour easy,” and said there were skid marks, “the whole lot”.
The court heard that Ramic has three previous convictions, including two for having no insurance.
Defence counsel, Sean Osborne BL, said that Ramic had put his hands up, apologised at the scene and cooperated fully with gardaí. He added that no one was injured.
The court heard that Ramic had engaged with restorative justice road safety awareness services and completed the programme this year.
Counsel said Ramic had panicked at the time because he was already disqualified and afraid of getting into trouble.
A reference letter from Ramic’s current employer in the labouring and motor sector was handed into court.
Judge Brendan O’Reilly noted that there has already been 36 deaths on Irish roads this year. “That is the background to cases like this”, he said.
He told the accused: “It may seem like it’s the end of the world today, but you are lucky to be here”.
Judge O’Reilly noted that Ramic admitted what he did and had got himself a job, adding he was conscious that a lengthy disqualification would affect this.
For driving without a licence, the judge imposed a €1,000 fine, disqualified Ramic from driving for one month, and imposed a four-month sentence suspended for two years.
For dangerous driving, the judge convicted him of the lesser offence of careless driving and imposed a €4,000 fine, giving him 12 months to pay.
Recognisance in the event of an appeal was fixed at €300 cash.
Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
