Fatal crash driver drank 'nine vodkas'

A man who admitted dangerous driving causing the deaths of three pedestrians had been at a party and had drunk several bottles…

A man who admitted dangerous driving causing the deaths of three pedestrians had been at a party and had drunk several bottles of beer and up to nine shots of vodka, a court has heard.

Marius Tamulevicius (29), originally from Lithuania but with an address at Athlumney in Navan, Co Meath appeared before Trim Circuit Court today.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of Philip Quinn (38) of Robinstown, Ballivor, Co Meath, Paul Lennon (42) of Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow, and Slawomir Krzenek (34), a Polish national living at Johnstown, Navan.

The crash happened at Kilcarn on the N3 just outside Navan in the early hours of January 8th 2006.

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Tamulevicius told gardaí he had been at a party where he had drunk five or six bottles of beer and then had eight or nine vodka shots.

He said he had been travelling at in excess of 80 km/h and possibly up to 100 km/h. The court heard the legal speed limit where the collision occurred was 60 km/h. The court heard the defendant told gardaí he would rather it was he who had died.

Judge Michael O'Shea adjourned sentencing to allow time for his defence to investigate his medical history and whether he may have had an epileptic seizure just before the collision.

The court heard he may have been on medication which he was not taking at the time.

Tamulevicius will be sentenced at the next sitting of the court.