A MAN has died after his car left the road and hit a tree in east Clare late on Sunday night in what was the third fatal crash in the county in less than a week.
Jason Brogan (32), originally from Whitegate, Co Clare, had been living in nearby Gurteeny, Co Galway, in recent years and was driving home at the time.
Mr Brogan died after he lost control of his Ford Focus car on the R352 Whitegate to Portumna Road at Derrainy, a short distance from the county boundary with Galway.
The incident happened at about 9.20pm on Sunday.
It is believed that after losing control, Mr Brogan’s car struck a ditch and left the road before crashing into a tree. There was no one else in the car and no other vehicle was involved.
Gardaí are investigating a number of possible causes of the crash including whether Mr Brogan swerved to avoid a deer before the crash.
Mr Brogan, who worked for a local quarry company, only recently purchased a new house in Gurteeny with his girlfriend. He is survived by his father Joe, mother Mary, a sister and two brothers.
Three people have died on the roads in Clare in the past six days, where only one fatality had been recorded in the first 10 months of the year. On Friday, a 76-year-old German tourist died in hospital after she was knocked down by a tractor earlier in the day in Bunratty. Last Tuesday, former Clare footballer Declan Hayes (43), Doonmore, Doonbeg, died when his motorbike was in collision with a car as he drove to work near Tulla.
In Co Kildare, meanwhile, a man in his 40s died after the car he was driving left the road near Kilmeague at Robertstown West shortly after 5am yesterday. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle. His body was taken to Naas General Hospital.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Naas Garda station on 045-884300.