Limerick gardai deliver victim impact statements after their patrol car was rammed

A LIMERICK garda has been unable to change his child’s nappy or dress him after he was injured in the line of duty.

Garda Alan Griffin said in a victim impact statement, which he read out in court, that as a direct result of his vehicle being rammed he received two cracked ribs, broken sternum, damage to his right shoulder, tissue damage to his neck, whiplash and damage to his L6 and L7 vertebrae.

He has had two surgeries on his spine to remove part of two of the vertebraes and will need further surgery

“I have constant low back pain, particularly in direct proportion with my level of activities. Obviously this incident has had a massive impact on myself as an individual, my family and my professional life.

“I have been unable to complete the most simple of tasks, for example, changing my child’s nappy or dressing him. Lifting my child and performing everyday tasks like playing with him were extremely difficult.

"The surgeries have led to me being bed bound for weeks on end while recovering,” said Garda Griffin, who also spoke of the effect it has had on his wife and her having to take considerable time off work to care for their son and help him recover from surgeries and procedures.

Garda Griffin's spinal consultant and other doctors have told him he has been left with “life-altering injuries”.

He developed post-concussion syndrome and post traumatic stress disorder.

Garda Griffin said he will never, ever forget November 19, 2019.

“I was stopped on a roundabout on the Condell Road. I was there to prevent other vehicles crossing the path of a vehicle being driven in a reckless and dangerous manner attempting to evade my colleagues. I was there solely to protect the community that I serve.

“I will never forget the headlights of Evan Toomey’s vehicle and the fact that it purposely drove over a concrete kerb in order to strike our vehicle. I will never forget the sound of his vehicle colliding with the side of ours. I will never forget the massive impact and the feeling of almost weightlessness as we were flung around the vehicle only being saved by our seat belts and the vehicle airbags.

“I will never forget our vehicle being lifted off the ground, swung 90 degrees and being driven backwards two and half lanes before colliding with a sign in the middle of the roundabout,” said Garda Griffin.

He said he will never forget thinking the vehicle was on fire from the smoke of the airbags.

“I will never forget thinking my colleague was dead as he lay unconscious beside me. I will never forget being rushed to hospital where I lay in full uniform on a spinal board on a trolley in the emergency department for nearly 24 hours. I will never forget November 19, 2019,” concluded Garda Griffin’s victim impact statement.

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“DEEGAN, Deegan are you alive?”. The words of Garda Alan Griffin in the seconds after their vehicle was rammed will live with Garda Niall Deegan “forever”.

Garda Deegan said in a victim impact statement, which he read out in court, that as a consequence of the road traffic collision, he suffered injuries to his neck, shoulder, back, knee and suffered severely with concussion and post traumatic disorder.

“I suffered severe pain in my neck, shoulder and back. I attended my GP on a regular basis and attended 60 physio sessions for treatment to my neck, shoulder and back injuries. I had to see a specialist in relation to my concussion and had to retrain my vision and balance,” said Garda Deegan.

He has recovered well from his physical injuries but they can flare up from time to time and he needs to take painkillers.

However, Garda Deegan said he still suffers from PTSD.

The garda, with over 20 years experience, touched on the effect the ramming incident has also had on his wife and family.

“My physical injuries were very debilitating at the start and were a source of extreme frustration as it severely hampered my physical activities. I had to rely on my wife to drive me to appointments and drive our children to their activities - something that I always loved doing. I felt completely useless,” said Garda Deegan.

On November 19, 2019, he said he was carrying out his duties diligently as a member of An Garda Siochana.

“At Condell Road, I believed there was a substantial risk to life or the potential risk of serious injury to members of the public and went to assist my colleagues.

“In the moment before our patrol vehicle was struck, I genuinely thought that Garda Alan Griffin and I were going to die. It seemed everything was happening in slow motion. There was no attempt by the driver Evan Toomey to take any avoidance action.

“The impact, the smell, my colleague shouting at me, ‘Deegan, Deegan are you alive?’ Crawling out of my patrol vehicle on all fours hoping that it wasn’t on fire. This will live with me forever,” read out Garda Deegan.