Fiosrú finds Gardaí acted lawfully in fatal M9 motorway pursuit

An independent investigation by Fiosrú has concluded that Gardaí acted lawfully during a pursuit involving a vehicle that drove the wrong way on the M9 motorway. The pursuit ended when the vehicle entered the M9, at which point Gardaí terminated the chase following protocol. The subsequent collision resulted in the deaths of five youths: Kamil Pustkowski, Jack Kennedy, Jeremy O’Brien, Joe Carthy, and Alex McCarthy. The crash also caused serious injuries to the occupants of another vehicle, including a child and three women.

Separately, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is briefing the Oireachtas Road Transport Committee on the broader issue of wrong-way driving. Data reveals that 15 people have died in such collisions in Ireland since 2021. Officials from Transport Infrastructure Ireland noted that while such incidents are relatively rare, they pose a significant risk of fatal injury. The committee is reviewing road safety measures following the recent M9 fatalities.