Motorist drowns after jumping into river to evade gardaí

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a man in Co Galway last night.

A senior garda source confirmed the man’s body was removed from the River Corrib, close to Galway Docks. He was pronounced dead at Galway University Hospital.

It’s understood the man was driving a car through the city when he was stopped by a Garda patrol car at approximately 6pm. The man then got out of his car and entered the river. His body was recovered by the coast guard about two hours later.

“Our people stopped a car tonight just after 6pm in Galway City,” said the source. “As they approached the car, a man got out and jumped into the river. About two hours later he was pulled from the river.”

The source said there was “no indication” as to why the man left his car and entered the water but that there “would have been a reason” the patrol car stopped him. “It was a normal car check. There was no chasing beforehand or anything like that.

“You don’t necessarily have to be speeding away from a crime scene to be pulled over. He could have run a red light, he could have done something road traffic-wise but we don’t know at this point. He obviously drew the garda’s attention with activity of some sort but he wasn’t coming from an armed robbery or anything like that.”

A team from GSOC will now be sent to Galway to investigate. The referral was made under Section 102 of the 2005 Garda Síochána Act.