Motorist 'jeered' at driver who tried to overtake his vehicle
The defendant denied the charge when he appeared before Castlebar District Court.
A motorist who refused to allow a fellow driver to overtake him has been convicted of dangerous driving.
Samuel Rau, aged 26, of Owenduff, Achill Island, pleaded not guilty to the offence when he appeared before Castlebar District Court.
Gda Keith Deane told the court he received a complaint from Stephen Mortimer on September 4, 2022, regarding several incidents of dangerous driving by a motorist in a black Honda Civic. The incidents were alleged to have occurred on August 30 on the Owenduff to Tonragee Road.
Mr Mortimer told the court he had been on his way to work in a Volkswagen Passat when he attempted to overtake a Honda Civic, which was being driven in an "excessively slow" manner along a stretch of road governed by a broken white line close to Tonragee National School. During the overtaking manoeuvre, the other male driver "jeered" at him and began to move alongside him, preventing Mr Mortimer from returning to the correct side of the road.
“I felt he was keeping me on the [wrong] side of the road,” he said.
Mr Mortimer eventually got in front of the Civic before a bend, put on his hazard lights and both vehicles stopped. He got out to speak to the other driver and told him he was going to talk to the Gardaí about what had just occurred. Mr Mortimer said the man asked him not to do that and then drove away. Mr Mortimer then went back to his vehicle for a pen and paper to write down the registration of the vehicle.
The witness said he continued to follow the vehicle, which took a sudden left turn without indicating and went towards Currane. He followed the vehicle up this road until it stopped once more, took the registration number and drove away.
Gda Deane established that the registered owner of the Honda Civic was Samuel Rau. He contacted Rau and informed him of the allegations. Rau agreed he was the driver but declined to make a statement. He later gave the Garda a prepared statement in which he said Mr Mortimer had been tailgating him on the Owenduff-Tonragee Road, then suddenly overtook him before slamming on the brakes while in front of him.
Rau said he felt as though Mr Mortimer was trying to cause an accident with his actions. When the vehicles stopped on the first occasion, the defendant claimed that Mr Mortimer was shouting at him and berating him. He saw Mr Mortimer rummaging in his own vehicle and presumed he was getting a weapon, so he drove away.
The defendant said Mr Mortimer followed him in the direction of Currane and he could see him "driving with only one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding up a mobile phone". The defendant said he pulled in "despite fearing for his life" and Mr Mortimer shouted at him that "the cops are coming for you". Mr Mortimer denied the defendant's allegations.
Judge Fiona Lydon said she was satisfied the State had proven its case. Rau, who has no previous convictions, was given a two-year driving ban and a fine of €250.
