A GARDA from County Wexford who was recently hailed a hero after risking his life to save people in dramatic river rescues was the victim of a hit-and-run incident in Waterford City on Thursday.

Gda. David Hearne, originally from Innyard, Fethard-on-Sea, was on mobile patrol duty with the Traffic Corps on Thursday night when he and a colleague encountered a vehicle which they attempted to stop.

Sgt. John Buckley spoke to The Echo about the incident and said Gda. Hearne and his colleague had exited their patrol car and signalled the driver of the other vehicle to stop.

“The driver failed to stop and while driving away collided with Gda. Hearne,” said Sgt. Buckley.

The incident occurred in the Lismore Park area of the city at around 4.15 p.m. on Thursday.

Gda. Hearne suffered an injury to his knee and fell across the bonnet of the car and he also banged his head.

“The driver of the car was subsequently apprehended,” said Sgt. Buckley.

Gda. Hearne was treated for his injuries in Waterford University Hospital and was later discharged.

The other Garda at the scene was not physically injured by what occurred.

The driver of the car was arrested and brought to Waterford Garda Station for questioning. He was charged in relation to a number of alleged road traffic offences on Friday and a file on the incident regarding Gda. Hearne was forwarded to the DPP.

Sgt. Buckley said the accused will appear before a sitting of the local District Court in September and it’s likely that further charges will be preferred, however, that will be determined by direction from the DPP.

The man is not from Waterford but has been living in the city for some time.

Earlier this year Gda. Hearne was hailed a hero after rescuing a man from the estuary in Dungarvan.

Remarkably, it was the second such incident involving the same Garda within the space of 10 days.

Gda. Hearne is an active member of Hook Sub Aqua Club and was a member of the Garda Underwater Unit for nine years. Remarkably, Gda. Hearne has been involved in five similar rescue incidents since 2003 in which he risked his own life to save others.

He was involved in two similar incidents in the river Suir in 2003 and 2008 and received the Michael Heffernan Medal for Gallantry in respect of two other rescues – which occurred in Waterford on the same day.