A man who admitted dangerous driving, causing the deaths of three pedestrians at the beginning of last year, told gardaí he was driving at up to 100km/h after drinking beer and spirits.
Marius Tamulevicius (29), from Lithuania but now living in Athlumney Abbey, Navan, Co Meath, appeared before Trim Circuit Court yesterday.
He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of Philip Quinn (38), Robinstown, Ballivor, Co Meath, Paul Lennon (42), Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow, and Slawomir Krzenek (34), a Polish national who had been living in Johnstown, Navan.
Sentencing was adjourned until the next sitting of the court.
The accident happened at Kilcarn on the main Dublin road out of Navan at about 4.20am on January 8th last year. The court heard that the car went out of control and on to a grass verge where the three men were walking.
Garda Brian Havern of Navan station said the men were all pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. One body was found on the roadway, one was lying over a fence and the third was found hanging upside down from a branch of a tree.
A motorist travelling in the opposite direction to the accused told gardaí she thought he was travelling "fast". She had just passed the pedestrians and Mr Tamulevicius's car when she heard "a loud bang" and saw a body "fly away" from his car and on to the middle of the road.
Mr Tamulevicius was in hospital for four days after the incident and was arrested on the day he was discharged. He told gardaí he had been at a party where he had drunk five to six bottles of beer and then had eight to nine shots of vodka.
He had had a fight with his wife and was driving a passenger home when the crash happened.
He told gardaí that he "suddenly saw two people in the middle of the street" and was unsure which way they were going. He started to brake and turned his car to the left.
He admitted travelling at in excess of 80km/h and possibly up to 100km/h. Judge Michael O'Shea was told the legal speed limit at that location was 60km/h.
Mr Tamulevicius also told the gardaí that he would rather it was he who had died in the collision.
Mr Lennon and Mr Quinn had held strong views on drink- driving and when they socialised they always used public transport, Garda Havern said.
The Polish man, Mr Krzenek, had been due to marry his partner, with whom he had two children, last year.
Fergal Kavanagh, defending, said Mr Tamulevicius was insured and had a full driving licence. A psychiatrist who examined him said he was suffering from post-traumatic shock as a result of the accident.
He had come to Ireland as an economic migrant and to have a life here with his wife and daughter. His employer had said he was a hard worker.
Judge O'Shea adjourned sentencing to allow time for Mr Tamulevicius's defence to investigate his medical history and whether he may have had an epileptic seizure just before the collision.
It was stated that he may have been on medication which he was not taking at the time.