THE TRAGIC accident, which claimed the life of a local 38-year-old father-of-three over a year ago, was recounted in detail at Dublin City Coroner’s Court.
Patrick ‘Pa’ Kinsella died as a result of injuries sustained in the fatal pile-up, after he attempted to exit his car following an initial incident. Tragically, he was struck by a car after he exited his vehicle and suffered multiple injuries.
The resulting pile-up saw four cars, in total, involved in crashes but, miraculously, no further fatalities.
The jury in the hearing returned a verdict of death by misadventure, citing the hazardous road conditions as a risk factor for drivers.
At the court on Wednesday, Mr. Kinsella’s brother Tomás told The Echo that it had been a long year and a long day but that the inquest findings gave some closure for the family.
“It was just a terrible tragedy. I’m here because I identified Pa’s body but the rest of the family couldn’t face it. We all miss him terribly.”
Mr. Kinsella had been travelling to work in Bray on the morning in question. He had proposed to his girlfriend Grainne at Christmas, just a few weeks before the fatal crash and the couple had planned to marry next year.
He agreed with the coroner’s suggestion, which he voiced on numerous occasions, that a weather warning sign at the beginning of the M11 would be a good idea to warn motorists of potentially hazardous roads.
[Full coverage in this week’s Echo]