A man (33) has expressed remorse in court after he was charged in connection with a hit and run that left a well-known sports broadcaster in a critical condition in a Cork hospital.
Bohdan Bezverkhyi of Rigsdale House, Ballinhassig, Co Cork, said he wanted to express his remorse over the incident that left C103 broadcaster Paudie Palmer (66) in a critical condition.
Mr Bezverkhi’s solicitor, Myra Dineen, told Bandon District Court, after Mr Bezverkhyi had been charged with four driving offences, that he “wanted to express his remorse for what happened”.
Judge James McNulty thanked Mr Bezverkhyi for his expression of remorse and contrition which he said was also evident from his replies when he was charged with four separate driving offences.
Det Gda Manus O’Donnell gave evidence of arrest, charge, and caution in relation to Mr Bezverkhyi being charged with four offences contrary to Section 106 of the Road Traffic Act 1961.
Mr Bezverkhyi was charged with failing to give the appropriate information to gardaí, namely reporting the occurrence of a road traffic collision at Dunkereen, Innishannon, on December 29th.
He was also charged with failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic collision at Dunkereen, Innishannon, Co Cork, for a reasonable period of time after the occurrence of the collision.
He was charged with failing to offer appropriate assistance to Mr Palmer following the occurrence of injury to Mr Palmer in a road traffic collision on the same occasion and location.
He was further charged with a fourth offence of failing to keep his vehicle at the scene following the occurrence of injury to Mr Palmer at the same location on the same occasion.
Det Garda O’Donnell told the court that Mr Bezverkhyi replied: “I am guilty, I just want to apologise” after being charged for the first offence.
He said that Mr Bezverkhyi replied: “I am sorry, very sorry for what happened – I have no excuse, no excuse, very sorry for my actions” in relation to failing to stop at the scene.
And he said Mr Bezverkhyi repeated both replies when he was charged with the third offence of failing to offer appropriate assistance to Mr Palmer after he sustained injuries in the collision.
In relation to the fourth charge of not keeping his vehicle at the scene, Det Garda O’Donnell said that Mr Bezverkhyi replied: “I want to apologise, I am very sorry for my actions.”
Ms Dineen said she understood that gardaí were objecting to bail for her client so she was not going to apply for bail for him at this point but would reserve her application for bail until a later date.
Insp Ian O’Callaghan applied for a remand in custody and Judge James McNulty remanded Mr Bezverkhyi in custody to appear again at Bandon District Court on January 5th.
He also granted Mr Bezverkhyi free legal aid after hearing from Ms Dineen that her client was a Ukrainian national who arrived in Ireland six months ago and was working in the ventilation industry.
A native of Templenoe in Co Kerry, Mr Palmer has lived in Innishannon in west Cork for 40 years and is well known from his work as a sports broadcaster with C103 and his popular sports podcasts.
It’s understood Mr Palmer, who also writes a sports column for the Echo newspaper, remains in a critical condition at Cork University Hospital following the collision on Thursday morning.
