High speed garda pursuit involving man who’d taken ‘magic mushrooms’

A MAN who had consumed magic mushrooms crashed into a roundabout while being pursued by gardai as he hoped his car would turn into an airplane, Limerick Circuit Court heard.

During a sentencing hearing, a garda sergeant described how the accused drove on the wrong side of the road at speeds of 140km/hr near Patrickswell forcing oncoming cars into the way of the gardai who were in pursuit.

John O’Mahony, aged 29, of Clara Road, Millstreet, County Cork pleaded guilty to two counts of endangerment, 10 of dangerous driving, and failing to remain at the scene of a collision in Charleville.

Prosecuting barrister, John O'Sullivan, instructed by state solicitor Padraig Mawe, outlined the evidence with the assistance of Sergeant Donagh Walsh.

Mr O’Sullivan said the incident started at 5pm on April 4, 2021 in Kanturk when a car drove past a garda checkpoint “at great and dangerous speed heading towards Mallow”. The garda wasn’t able to catch up with the vehicle driven by Mr O’Mahony due to the speed he was travelling at.

Mr O’Sullivan said this was the start of “very bad and reckless driving for over an hour” from North Cork to the Raheen Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Limerick city where the “vehicle became airborne” in a collision with a roundabout.

Mr O’Sullivan outlined how the silver Toyota Corolla being driven by Mr O’Mahony forced a garda, who was driving a private vehicle, to take evasive action. The defendant also undertook and overtook vehicles.

In Buttevant, North Cork a garda raised his hand to stop the Toyota but it continued “at speed”.

When Mr O’Mahony reached Charleville he did not stop after hitting the wing mirror of a car he overtook on the main street.

On the N20 Mr O’Mahony drove on the incorrect side of the road.

Sgt Walsh, who was on mobile patrol on the day, said he activated the blue lights and sirens but that Mr O’Mahony failed to stop.

Limerick Circuit Court heard that the defendant drove through Patrickswell at 100km/h while there were pedestrians on footpaths and other vehicles in the village.

Limerick ministers-of-state to travel to Thailand, Malaysia and Croatia for St Patrick's Day

As they headed towards Limerick city, Sgt Walsh said Mr O’Mahony reached speeds of 140km/h and drove on the wrong side of the road which forced 10 cars to come onto the wrong side of the road and into the path of gardai.

Mr O’Mahony drove the wrong way around the Raheen roundabout and went into the industrial estate.

Sgt Walsh said they lost sight of the Toyota in the estate but then heard a crash at the “Regeneron roundabout”. 

Mr O’Mahony emerged unscathed and was later arrested.

After the events, he told gardai: “I didn’t want to hurt anybody else. Nothing seemed real. I wanted to leave. I was trying to get away from myself. I hoped the car would turn into a plane.”

Jack Nicholas BL, who represented Mr O’Mahony, said his client took magic mushrooms as he was under the impression it would help with his depression.

“It was an insanely stupid thing to drive. He was going to Shannon Airport. He thought the car would turn into a plane when he hit the roundabout,” said Mr Nicholas.

The barrister asked Sgt Walsh if Mr O’Mahony was a “fundamentally decent person” and the sergeant agreed.

Mr Nicholas said it is a “really unusual case".

“He suffered with severe depression. He saw his GP and a psychotherapist. It was effectively all encompassing and overwhelming and he made the stupid decision to take magic mushrooms to overcome depression,” said Mr Nicholas, who referenced studies of psilocybin (contained in magic mushrooms) being used for the treatment of depression.

“These are reported in newspapers quite a lot and obviously had an effect on Mr O’Mahony. He is extremely remorseful and could have killed someone. He is honest, intelligent and hard-working. He was not thinking straight - he was in a desperate situation,” said Mr Nicholas.

Judge Tom O’Donnell said it was one of the most appalling cases of endangerment and dangerous driving he had come across.

The judge accepted Mr O’Mahony was a man of good standing but it was “his decision to ingest these items”.

“It is an absolute miracle there were no injuries including to the defendant,” he said. Sentencing was adjourned to enable the judge to read of a number of reports that had been handed in.