[REVISION HISTORY]

Motorway collisions and social media crackdown

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What changed

2026-09-18 15:43 UTC → 2026-09-23 08:13 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In August 2026, two separate serious vehicle collisions involving wrong-way driving occurred on Irish motorways. On August 9, a two-vehicle collision on the M50 in Dublin involving a vehicle traveling northbound on the southbound carriageway resulted in nine hospitalizations. The Office of the Police Ombudsman, Fiosrú, launched an investigation. On August 16, a head-on collision occurred on the M9 motorway in County Kildare at Junction 3. A suspected stolen BMW traveling southbound on the northbound carriageway struck a Hyundai carrying a family en route to Dublin Airport. The collision killed five teenagers, aged 15 to 18: Joey Carthy, Alex McCarthy, Jeremy O’Brien, Jack Kennedy, and Kamil Pustkowski. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly described the incident as ‘horrific,’ noting that reckless driving is sometimes motivated by a desire for social media likes. Investigators found the group had frequently posted content showing them being pursued by police. Security sources indicated the group had allegedly been involved in burglaries and vehicle thefts for at least two weeks prior to the crash. The Hyundai occupants, a family from Carlow, sustained serious injuries. Survivors include sisters Alma, Niamh, and Ella Hendricken, and a young boy, Yemi. Following the M9 crash, data from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) revealed that wrong-way driving incidents on Irish motorways have increased by 32% so far this year. ~~Regarding the M9 survivors, reports indicate they have moved from critical to seriously injured status, suffering broken bones and spinal injuries.~~ On August 24, Emilia Pustkowska, the mother of Kamil Pustkowski, defended her son against online criticism, stating she had previously ‘pleaded with the justice system to intervene and potentially incarcerate her son’ to prevent escalating behavior. In On September 22, 2026, ~~the watchdog~~ Fiosrú concluded its investigation, finding that ~~An Garda Síochána~~ Gardaí acted ~~appropriately.~~ lawfully during the pursuit that preceded the M9 collision, noting they terminated the chase following protocol once the vehicle entered the motorway.

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